Funbari High
by KimBob
Summary: Horo's life takes an unexpected turn when new student Tao Ren shows up. But is Horo really as sane as he seems in the first place? HoroRen
1. New Student

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

CHAPTER ONE – New Student

"Class, we have a new exchange student. This is Tao Ren, he comes from China. I want you all to make him feel welcome and comfortable." Silva droned at the front of the classroom.

Horo Horo looked up in interest. It wasn't every day they got a new student in Funbari High; mostly because it was too far out in the suburbs. His eyes fell on a bored-looking boy a little short for his age. His hair was dark purple and set in a tall spike in the back. It looked soft, shiny and silky, like in shampoo commercials. His eyes were cat-like and yellow; seeming to pierce everything he looked at.

He wore black pants that hung loosely at his hips and a black sleeveless shirt with yellow lining that allowed teasing glimpses of his midriff when he moved or breathed. A black backpack was slung over one shoulder and his hands were jammed into his pockets. He fixed a hard glare on the class and sat in the only available seat, to Horo's left.

"Hey, how are you? I'm Horo." Horo whispered to him. He glanced over and grunted dismissively.

"So, you're Ren, right?" he asked, unperturbed. Ren nodded curtly, his attention still forward.

"You came from China?" he attempted again. Ren rolled his eyes.

"Great..." Horo said and faced forward.

Hours inched by and finally it was lunch time. All the students flooded out of the room happily; all but one, that is. Ren slowly put his things into his bag, taking his time. Horo was about to step out when he caught sight of the lone figure. He hesitated for a moment as he watched.

"Hey, Ren, you want to eat lunch with me and my friends?" he asked with a grin. Ren looked up at him blankly as if to say, 'What do **you** think?'

"Oh... I guess not... See you later, then..." he mumbled and jogged out.

'Why do I feel like I need to be nice to that jerk?' he wondered as he sat with his friends; Hao, Jeanne, Lyserg, Ryu, Chocolove, Yoh, Anna, Tamao, Manta, Macchi, Mari, Kanna, and his sister who was still a freshman, Pilika.

"Horo, where's your lunch?" Jeanne asked curiously. Horo was puzzled for a moment before realization dawned on him.

"Oh, crap! I left my lunch at home! Damnit!" he yelled, and inched his way to the empty lunch line. He bought his lunch and sat staring at it.

"Is it just me, or did that move on its own two seconds ago?" he asked, pointing to one of the supposed foods.

"What was **that**? Road kill?" Hao asked.

"Is that even **edible**?" Jeanne asked.

"Eww, it looks like it's still alive!" Lyserg remarked.

"That is an insult to the cooking industry!" Ryu exclaimed.

"What are they calling it?" Yoh asked.

"This is called **meat loaf surprise**. I think the surprise is that they never killed it." Horo answered with a sigh.

"Well, at least you're not the only one eating their food. Look." Yoh said, gesturing to the line, where Ren was wrinkling his nose as they served him the same slop. They all watched in interest, however, as he began an outburst, ranting about the quality of the food.

"What the hell was **this**? Excuse me, but I prefer having my food **dead **before I receive it! Some compliment to the food industry **you** are, I could teach a **monkey** to cook better than this in **one** hour! You expect **me** to pay good money for something I could go out and scrape off the sidewalk! This isn't even fit for the pigs!" he shouted loud enough for the whole cafeteria to hear him. Now they all looked up from their lunches as he ranted and raved about the food, pointing out every possible flaw in it.

"Who are you to come in here and diss my cooking!" the lunch lady asked, enraged.

"I am Ren of the Tao family, and I do **not** eat disgusting scum like this!" he yelled proudly.

"You arrogant, self-centered bastard! I'm calling your parents, what do you think of **that**? And the principal will also be hearing of this, too!" she smiled triumphantly.

"Who gives a damn! He can't do anything about it! It's my freedom of speech to give my opinion! On top of all that, my father is the superintendent of all the schools in this country, so I'd think twice about that!" he smirked arrogantly.

"You think **you** could do better!" she asked dangerously.

"If that was a challenge, I **know** I can cook better than this filth!" he snorted.

"Fine! Come back here and try!" she shouted.

"Bring it on!" he accepted. He jumped over the counter easily and stalked into the kitchen. A few seconds later, all the students were crowded around in anticipation as the cook-off began. Not only was Ren's cooking better quality, but he was also faster and more efficient, and soon he had popped out enough pizza for the entire school to have a slice and made a typical Chinese dish of eggrolls and dumplings stuffed with shrimp.

"...Ok, so maybe you can cook better and faster than us, but what are we supposed to do about it?" the woman asked angrily. He looked up from his meal.

"Learn how to cook, and in the meantime let me cook my own meals." he said simply.

"Fine...brat." she grumbled.

"I heard that." he said as he walked briskly to his next class. Horo Horo and the others headed that direction as the first bell rang.

"Wow, who **is** that kid?" Lyserg asked in wonder.

"Even **I **felt intimidated by him, and that's saying a lot." Hao remarked.

"God, you're so full of yourself! How does your head fit through doors?" Anna asked angrily.

"Yeah, your ego's so big; I'm amazed it's not attached to you somehow in the form of an extra limb!" Jeanne said.

"Anyway, what's up with that Ren guy? Has he got a stick up his ass or what?" Pilika said loudly.

"Pilika! Not so loud!" Horo hissed at her, though he had no idea why he was defending the tiger-eyed kid. After all, he barely knew him, and what he did know wasn't good. They reached his next class and he said goodbye to his sister, Mari, Macchi, Kanna, Jeanne, and Chocolove. He stepped into the music room to find his normal seat in the back left corner occupied by the very Chinese teen he'd been thinking about.

"Excuse me, but that's my seat. Please move." he said politely, eager to put their brief conversation behind them.

"**Your** seat?" Ren echoed, his eyes set in a death glare.

"Yes, **my** seat." he repeated.

"This seat has not got your name on it. You have not got a receipt for this seat. No one gave it to you. There are no assigned seats in music class. Therefore, with all these facts backing me, I believe I can safely say this is not **your** seat. I'm not moving, so fuck off." he stated, crossing his arms in defiance.

"Well, where am **I** supposed to sit?" Horo asked, frowning.

"Don't know, don't care, but there's a free seat in the front." he informed him.

"Boys, do we have a problem?" the teacher asked.

Horo turned around and was greeted with a shockingly beautiful woman with green hair. She wore a black shirt with a white skull on it and a long skirt that was black, save for a long green dragon that twisted about it. Its high slit allowed much of her leg to be seen, and the boys were already drooling over her. Her violet eyes pierced through Horo as she waited expectantly.

"Uh...not at all, miss." he said, and scampered to the front quickly.

"I am Ms. Tao Jun. I have come from China and I will be your music teacher for as long as I'm here. You may all call me Miss Jun, or just plain Jun. I plan to know each of you on a more personal level, and I trust you can come to me for anything from help on homework to love advice.

This month in China, they celebrate the Chinese New Year, so I thought it would be fun to learn some about China and its culture, and also its music. I will be bringing in some Chinese instruments for you all tomorrow, so today we will simply find out about each other and how much you know about China already." she announced to the class. A few of the students around Ren began to chuckle.

"Hey Ren, did you bring your mommy to school? Are you scared of high school, so you have to hold mommy's hand? If she's a miss, then you must be her bastard child and she must be a whore!" Hao teased in baby talk.

"She's my sister, and you're the bastard." he answered in baby talk mockingly.

"You little son of a bitch! Say that to my face!" he yelled, standing. Ren jumped up easily.

"I just said it to your face, moron! But if you'd like a repeat, I said, She's my sister and you're a bastard!" he shouted angrily.

"Ren Tao, you get over here this instant! I will **not** have you two fighting in my class!" Jun snapped, and Ren obediently stalked to the front.

Hao started laughing until she added, "You, too, Hao Asakura! I know Ren doesn't normally start fights on his own!" he stepped forward sheepishly. She dragged them into the hall.

"What the hell was that, Ren! You do not go around insulting people and picking fights over seats!" she snapped again once the door was shut.

"He was soiling your good name! It was a matter of honor!" he growled in his own defense.

"That's no excuse! And you! Leave my otouto (1) alone, unless you find the principal's office extremely interesting! Both of you will be serving detention with Mr. Silva this afternoon!" she sighed and walked back in to restore order to her classroom. Just before Hao stepped in, however, a hand snatched his wrist and twisted it painfully behind his back, another hand clamped over his mouth.

"If you dare sully my sister's pure name or the name of any other Tao again, I swear, you'll lose a lot more than one hour of your time and I will make it my personal mission to hunt you down and do worse than murder you." a voice snarled in his ear. He was then released and they both entered the room again. Horo Horo watched intently as Ren stamped over to his desk and plopped down and Hao followed him a bit shakily, rubbing his arm lightly.

After class, Horo Horo found himself drawn to the teacher's desk. "Yes, Horokeu, may I help you?" she asked kindly.

"Uh, yeah. See, I just wanted to tell you that Ren really didn't do anything bad. Hao was teasing him that you were his mother, and he didn't react, so he called you a whore, and Ren went nutso on him. So, he doesn't deserve a detention." he said.

"Look, I think I know how to manage my class and my brother." she said, her smile vanishing.

"But that's not fair to him!" he yelled.

"Don't you raise your voice to me! Who are you to him that you feel the need to speak up for him when he's not speaking up for himself?" she asked, accusing eyes on him.

"Well, if he won't speak, someone should! I'm his friend!" he said indignantly.

"You? A scrawny number like you are my brother's friend? He doesn't have friends, and if he did, they wouldn't look like you. Now you can go ahead and join your friend in detention today." she said, looking him up and down.

'Damnit. Why did I do that? And since when am I his friend?' he thought to himself.

Horo's next class held no events worth noting, mostly because the alluring Tao did not share this class with him. However, he continuously found his mind wandering back to the attractive Chinese, like a fly to the light.

'Geez, I'm like a fly with the light! I just can't stop thinking about him! C'mon, Horo! Just focus on something else! Umm... yeah, food... I like pizza. Ren made a lot of pizza at lunch... Doh! Crap, I'm thinking about him again! Maybe he'll sit with us tomorrow at lunch. I wonder what she meant by, he doesn't have any friends. Maybe I should try being nicer to him. I'll talk to him in detention. Maybe we just started out on the wrong foot.' Horo smiled thoughtfully and eagerly awaited detention.


	2. Detention of Death

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

CHAPTER TWO – Detention of Death

That afternoon Horo Horo found himself back in Mr. Silva's room for detention. Ren was already there, sitting with his arms crossed in the back of the room. Horo walked over and sat beside him.

"What's up?" he asked by way of greeting.

"Detention. Duh." he growled, glancing at Horo through the corner of his eye.

"So, how was you're first day, overall?" he asked.

"Did the gods send you to torture me?" he sighed.

"Hey, I'm just being polite!" he said defensively.

"Uh huh, riiight." Ren said sarcastically.

"Hey, how about after detention I show you around town?" Horo offered, undaunted.

"You are very persistent, aren't you? I have to go home." he said.

"Then come over to my house later." he tried again.

"I have things to do at home." he sighed.

"Then eat lunch with me tomorrow." he said.

"Fine, as long as you shut your trap." he growled. Hao entered at that moment, waltzing in like he owned the place.

"Horo? What'd you do? Late to class again?" he asked in his cocky manner.

"Nope." he answered, trying to avoid telling the real reason.

"Bet you did. You did, didn't you?" Hao accused.

"Whatever you say, Hao." he answered Hao took a seat on the far side of the room and they served the rest of their time and went their separate ways.

The next day, Horo sat in Mr. Silva's class, an empty seat beside him. He glanced at the clock again. It was one hour before lunch and still no sign of the arrogant Chinese. Five minutes later, Ren walked in and handed a late pass to the teacher. He went and sat in his seat, the eyes of the whole class upon him.

The reason for this was that he was beaten and bruised horribly. He had a split lip, a black eye, bruises, scrapes, and poorly tended wounds that still bled. The lesson continued and slowly the students brought their eyes away.

"Ren, what happened?" Horo asked in concern.

"Nothing." Ren answered with his eyes on his desk.

"Nothing doesn't beat people up." Horo pointed out.

"So what? It's my business." Ren hissed.

"Who did this?" he insisted.

"Just drop it and leave it alone." he said with finality. Horo Horo nodded in acceptance though his mind did not drop the subject.

'Maybe he pissed someone off. I wouldn't be surprised with his attitude. But it doesn't seem that way...' he pondered this new event until the bell rang for lunch. He smiled and waited for Ren to finish carefully packing his things into his bag. They stopped by the lunchroom for Ren to whip up some eggrolls and headed outside.

"Where are we going?" Ren asked.

"When it's nice out we eat outside. Over here." Horo said, leading the way to a clump of large trees, under which the whole group sat.

"Guys, you all know Ren. Ren, this is my sister, Pilika, Hao and his twin, Yoh, Yoh's fiancé, Anna, Jeanne, Lyserg, Mari, Macchi, Kanna, Chocolove, Ryu, Tamao, and Manta." he introduced them.

"Oh, it's the guy with the stick up his ass that got you and Hao detention!" Pilika exclaimed, oblivious to her offensiveness. Ren frowned slightly and sat against a tree farther from the others. Horo sat beside him quickly.

"So, who beat you up? I have got to congratulate the lucky bastard!" Hao laughed menacingly.

"Hao, shut up." Horo said half-heartedly. The others began to laugh hysterically as Hao began to make fun of the Tao, who took it without a word and simply continued eating. As Hao continued, Horo realized that this was no longer the good-natured teasing they all endured every day, but a purposeful picking on. Ren sat facing away from the others and kept his face fixated on the ground, taking the ridiculing wordlessly.

"Yeah, he brought his mother to school the other day, and boy, she was a looker." Hao laughed.

"Oh, yeah, well your head is so big, it's a wonder they don't call you the elephant man. Why don't you just roll over and die? You're so vain about your hair, you spend two class periods in the shower after gym and they had to move gym to the last class of the day. You're worse than a woman and you act really gay. Why don't you just ask Yoh to dump Anna and run away with you? We all know you want him, you fucking gay bastard, and we all know you want to be a woman and you would be on the bottom!" Horo snapped. Everyone hushed and the uncomfortable silence took over.

"Oh, so it's not funny when it's Hao being bullied, only when Ren is? You guys make me sick!" Horo said disgustedly and dragged Ren off by his wrist.

"...Why did you do that?" Ren asked when they were in the building, viciously jerking his hand away.

"Because you needed me. That's what friends are for, and you can always trust me to be a good friend!" Horo answered plainly, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

"But they're your friends, and I'm not your friend." the Chinese stated coldly.

"Of course you are! Don't worry about them, we always work it out in the end, that's what friends do." he said.

"I'm not worried about them, and I don't see why you want to be my friend." he replied.

"Because everyone needs a friend to watch their back." he explained.

"I don't need friends, and I don't have friends." Ren said stubbornly.

"That attitude must run in your family." Horo mumbled under his breathe.

"By the way, what did your sister mean when she said I got Hao **and** you detention?" Ren asked.

"Oh, well, I, uh, she, see, I sort of talked to your sister after class because you didn't deserve your detention, and she gave me one, but Pilika always over-exaggerates." Horo Horo answered.

"Why did you do that?" his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Well, because you're my friend and that wasn't right." he said.

"Kisama! (1)" Ren yelled and hurried off to music class.

"What was that about?" Horo Horo wondered out loud and hurried after him. Once again, Ren had occupied his favored seat so the Ainu was forced into the seat between him and Hao.

"Hello, class. I expect you all to be on your best behavior today, and no fighting over instruments. I have two of each kind, and there are the qin, sheng, pipa, xiao, and di. Here is a very simple scale; can anyone tell me how it differs from the Western scale?" Jun asked. No one moved and she continued to scan the class.

"Ren? I know you know, why don't you explain it." she said, staring intently at the silent boy. Once again attention was drawn to him and they stared at his beaten form.

"...It only has five tones, instead of eight..." he said clearly.

"And?" she pressured him.

"...Melody is the main element of it, rather than harmony..." he continued.

"Good. Now, since you can already play all the instruments, you get to choose last. Horo, you choose." she called on him.

"Sure, I'll take the pipa." he said politely. She frowned and handed him the instrument, then continued until the whole class had an instrument except for Ren, who was left with the last qin.

"Alright, now that we all have instruments, we'll start. Ren, demonstrate." Jun ordered in a fake sweet voice.

"Hn." he grunted and quickly played the instrument, his skilled hands weaving about the strings. The song filled the room with a sense of sadness, and some girls even began to cry as the song concluded.

"Hmm..." was all Jun said, and class continued with her picking on him for everything. After class, Horo stopped at Jun's desk again.

"Yes, Horo Horo?" she asked in an annoyed tone.

"How come you were picking on Ren when he obviously doesn't like it?" he asked defensively.

"That is none of your concern. It is between him and me and you have no right to muddle in family affairs. Believe me; it's dangerous to be friends with a Tao. You don't want to get mixed up in this." she advised gravely.

"Huh?" he looked confused but settled to leave before the bell because she sure wasn't going to give him a pass. Once again his day became normal and boring and he snoozed through the rest of school. Outside of school, however, trouble headed his way. Out of nowhere Ren stepped out from an alley, a dagger glistening in his hand. He held it to Horo's neck and whispered in his ear.

"Don't say a word, and you won't be harmed, okay?" he waited for Horo to nod before continuing.

"Look, I don't want or need friends, got it? So just back off from me and my sister. We handle our own problems and business, so keep your nose where it belongs, out of Tao family business. If you so much as breathe a word of this to anyone or get in my way again, I will kill you. Capishe?" another nod.

"Good." and as suddenly as he was there, he was gone. Horo rushed to his house warily, expecting someone to jump him any second. When he got home, his mother had just got off the phone.

"Horo, honey, get your nice Ainu clothes on! We've been invited to dinner by Tao En. This could be my big chance for a promotion." she said excitedly.

"TAO! WE CAN'T GO THERE! MISS JUN AND REN HATE ME!" he shouted.

"Now, Horo, that's not like you at all. Maybe you just need to give them a second chance. We're going anyway, whether you like it or not." she said firmly.

'I'm so dead...' he thought as he ran to slip on the traditional Ainu dress required for this important dinner.


	3. Dinner Time

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

CHAPTER THREE – Dinner Time

"Mom, do me a favor and bury me in Hokkaido, okay?" Horo asked as they stepped from the car, acting like he only had a little while left to live.

"Horokeu Usui! Not another word from you, you hear me?" his mother snapped. He nodded and sighed in defeat. They stepped up to a large mansion-like house and rang the bell. The door opened to reveal a pair of yellow eyes that glared out suspiciously.

"Hello. I am Mrs. Usui. En-sama invited me for dinner." she announced.

"We've been expecting you. Follow me." the deep baritone voice ordered, opening the door. They stepped into a large foyer with lavish decorations from all ends of the Earth that made it evident that the Taos spared no expense on comfort and beauty. Horo couldn't help but gape at the sheer size of the place, let alone its extensive décor. As a servant led them on, Ren fell into step beside Horo Horo, smirking.

"So, I take it you are fascinated by it? The main estate in China is far more luxurious." he boasted. The Ainu boy eyed him cautiously. They stepped into a huge dining room with a long table that could seat at least fifty, though only a few were actually there. Horo gasped at the giant chandelier above them.

"One thousand diamonds are up there. They are said to be the tears of Isis, the Egyptian goddess." Ren said.

"Welcome. Please, be seated." En said, and everyone sat. Horo was seated across from Ren, with his mother beside him.

"This is my daughter, Jun, and my son, Ren." En introduced them. Jun smiled coldly, she sat across from Horo's mother and next to Ren. At the end of the table, between her and Horo's mother, sat En. Polite conversation struck up and Horo picked at his food, every now and then glancing at Ren or Jun.

Ren's wounds from earlier were becoming scars and that's when the bluenette noticed that Ren looked as though it were a regular occurrence. He looked at En and began to piece things together, when suddenly he heard the conversation turn to him.

"My Horokeu here has difficulty in math. Numbers never really caught on for him. You must be so proud to have a star pupil for a son." his mom said.

"Perhaps my Ren could find time to tutor him between five and six on weekdays." En suggested. Ren's head snapped up like a lightning bolt.

"That would be wonderful! Thank you so much!" she replied. Horo felt the color drain from his face, but knew better than to question his mother during this important dinner. The rest of the hour flew by and finally En was escorting them out, followed by Ren and Jun.

"Well, I think we have everything settled. You got the job and you can stay in the west wing." En announced as they left.

"Wait! What? Stay!" Horo Horo asked.

"Yes, Horo, the lease on our house is ending soon and it'll be easier to work here." his mother said, sealing the deal. Behind En, Horo saw Ren smile viciously at him, evidently having already planned a slow, painful death for him. The car ride was silent as Horo's brain tried to process this new information, but as soon as the door was open, he ran to his room.

"I AM GOING TO DIE!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. After a while he fell asleep.

The next day was a Thursday, which meant school and then his first tutoring session with Ren. He prayed that the day would go as slowly as possible, but in doing so, managed to make it go by at incredible speed. Pilika was overjoyed at the thought of living in the Taos' mansion and eagerly awaited meeting Jun, thinking it'd be like having an older sister. He begged his mother to cancel the deal, but it was to no avail.

Thus, there he stood ringing the bell at the Tao mansion. Ren opened the door wide to let him in and wordlessly walked up some stairs, Horo at his heels. He led the way through halls and went into a room, completely black in color.

Horo looked around, guessing this was Ren's bedroom. He had a four poster king sized bed with black silk covers and black curtains kept the room shrouded in darkness. The dresser was black and the walls were black and the carpet was black and there was a mirror against the far wall. Up against the wall beside his bed stood a large kwan dao, making Horo once again felt uneasy.

Ren wore a casual black shirt not fully buttoned to reveal his perfectly toned chest and black pants that hung low at his hips and no shoes or socks. Horo found himself unable to keep his eyes from wandering up and down the attractive Chinese's muscular body. He could see the muscles flex and ripple whenever the teen made the slightest move.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. 'What the hell? I'm not gay! I'm not! Not, not, not! No way! No siree! Un-Uh! Impossible! And me liking HIM! Ha! What a joke!' he thought.

"Kisama! As much as I enjoy you gawking at my things, I do not like you staring at me! Get over here so we can start!" Ren snapped him out of his thoughts and he hurried over whilst trying to hide his blush. The session went by quickly with Ren yelling every two seconds because Horo was finding it difficult to concentrate on the work and his eyes kept trailing over to the other. It was finally over when he realized it was pouring too hard for him to get home, so he was forced to stick around as he waited for the downpour to end.

In the meantime, he amused himself by watching the other boy as he went to his personal training room and began to work out, allowing Horo a good view because Ren thought he was long gone and had removed his shirt. By now Horo Horo had pretty much accepted that he was attracted to Ren, so he allowed his eyes to roam freely. When he'd finished, Ren stood and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from his body and found to his dismay the Ainu boy still there.

"What are you doing here?" Ren asked in a bored tone as he allowed the towel to rest across his shoulders, not bothering to slip his shirt back on as he headed out the door.

"It's raining too hard to go home, so I'm stuck here for a while." he explained as he followed the other. They reached a kitchen and Ren grabbed himself a carton of milk before sitting to enjoy it. Horo found himself staring again as Ren sat there shirtless, his chest still heaving from his work out and a few beads of sweat still clinging to his chest. Ren looked up at him with a thoughtful expression and made no protest to his wandering eyes.

"So... would you like to see your room?" Ren asked, not waiting for an answer before standing and heading out, milk in hand. He handed the empty carton to a servant as he passed, Horo following obediently. He led him up some stairs and disappeared into a room completely ice blue, much like Ren's, minus the kwan dao.

As soon as Horo Horo was well enough into the room, the door went shut behind him and he was tackled to the floor. He landed on his back with Ren straddling his lower stomach and pinning his wrists down above his head.

"Huh? Ren, what gives?" he asked in confusion, a deep blush creeping across his cheeks.

"So, I am correct in my assumption that you are attracted to me." Ren said with a smirk.

"Me like you? N-No, I don't!" he denied.

"I'm not blind, baka. I saw you looking. And I also see that you are enjoying this position. The evidence is showing through your pants." he said, and Horo's blush got ten shades darker.

"Ren, I-I!" he stuttered to think of an excuse, but was cut off when Ren crushed his lips down.

"R-Ren!" he gasped when they pulled away.

"I suppose I can't blame you. Who could resist me? The truth is I could use some release of stress, and I think you can accommodate me. Don't worry, you'll enjoy it just as much as I will." he smirked, holding Horo's wrists down with one hand whilst the other traveled down his chest.

"Ren... stop..." he protested weakly, though inside he loved the feelings that action created.

"No. You need to learn something. I always get what I want, and right now, I want you. Now, you are going to give me what I want, whether you like it or not. No one will hear you because this wing has just been cleared out for your family, so if you scream only I will know. Lastly, if you tell anyone what transpires here or even hint it, I will kill them and you will be punished until I see fit to do away with you. Are we clear on the rules of the game, now?" he asked, eyes narrowed.

"P-Please... don't..." he whimpered, feeling panic and fear course through his veins at his helplessness. Ren ignored his feeble pleas and leaned down to continue kissing him. His free hand maneuvered Horo's shirt off and his lips slid down to play with the pink nubs located there, causing Horo to gasp.

"Ren, stop it!" he snapped, getting angry that he was so confused. He shouldn't be enjoying this. Ren was doing this against his will, without any love involved. This wasn't how he wanted his first time to go. Yet, somehow, an equally large part of him wanted to just stay there and melt into the sensations that ran through him with every touch.

Ren continued the assault on his senses, dipping his tongue into his navel before returning to claim his lips in a heated kiss once more, this time forcing his tongue in to play with Horo's. In the meantime, his other hand traveled up and down his lover's chest, sometimes going low to the hem of his pants. Ren's hand reached down and stripped him of his pants, coming to rest on the growing bulge.

His mouth trailed small nips and kisses down his neck again and a low moan escaped him as he massaged his throbbing member. His back arched up into Ren and he felt the evidence of Ren's excitement on his stomach as the other continued to find new ways of forcing him to emit sounds of pleasure.

"Ren..." he moaned as the Chinese stopped just before he reached the release he so badly needed.

"Please!" he begged, mentally kicking himself.

"Please what?" the younger asked, lightly playing with the hem of his exposed boxers, teasing him to the brink of insanity.

"Stop teasing me!" he said, his voice trembling.

"Oh, but foreplay is the best part, my little Horokeu. Tell me what you want." he ordered, leaning down again to place a few kisses here or there.

"I-I want..." he began uncertainly.

"Yes?" Ren asked, pulling away to stare down at him.

"I want you to take me! God, please!" he shouted, giving in to his desire.

"Good boy..." Ren purred, removing his own pants and boxers teasingly slow before rending Horo naked. He resumed his feverish kissing to distract Horo before ramming himself into the other without warning. Horo screamed in pain as Ren slid into him to the hilt. Ren waited for the pain to die down a bit.

"Why didn't you warn me?" he asked, his lower lip quivering as a few tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Believe me, it's better if you just get it over with." Ren assured him.

"It hurts." he whispered.

"Did you think it wouldn't?" Ren shot back as he began to slowly rock himself against Horo. He winced slightly before pleasure replaced the pain and he too began to move to the unknown rhythm. Ren picked up the pace and was soon thrusting wildly into Horo as his hands traveled, not bothering to hold the older boy down anymore.

Horo allowed his freed hands to travel over his lover's chest as his legs wrapped around Ren's waist. Finally it ended in an explosion of sensations and they came together, Ren's essence burying itself deep within him and his own spilling over their stomachs. Ren rolled off of him and they lay there, panting.

"...Ren? Did you feel anything? Anything at all?" Horo asked. He just had to know.

"...No..." the reply was half-hearted but harsh, cutting deep into him.

"...Do you think that maybe there could be anything? Maybe sometime later? Even just a tiny bit of something?" he asked, eyes pleading.

"Why are you asking me this?" Ren asked with a weary sigh.

"I just have to know... I have to know if there's even the tiniest bit of a chance that you might like me back one day. Because if there is even the millionth of a billionth of a chance, I'm willing to be with you for as long as you'll have me. If there's not, then I guess I'll just have to keep hoping that one day you'll change your mind, because I don't think I'll ever fall in love again." he said, sad blue eyes staring deeply into golden tiger ones.

"I don't know, Horo Horo, I don't know." Ren answered, standing and slipping on his clothes.

"The rain has stopped. I'm sure your mother will be worried." he said before walking out.


	4. Down the Drain

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

CHAPTER FOUR – Down the Drain

Friday. Generally Horo Horo's favorite day of the week, but today just wasn't normal. Today most of his things moved to the Tao mansion, and tomorrow he joined them. He would then have to live in the same house as Tao Ren, the boy he loved and hated at the same time.

He hadn't slept at all that night after he'd gone home. Questions floated around in his head and no answers could satisfy them. He had spent countless hours mulling over Ren's words, ending with them mixing into a painful blur that slowly destroyed him. Now he was on his way to school, his shoulders slumped and his eyes lowered, completely in his own little world of depression.

He felt numb, like his whole world had been drained of color and he was drowning in the middle of it. He didn't see the hand reach out and jerk him into the alleyway, didn't feel the punches and kicks that beat him, didn't notice the pain as he dragged himself up and to school. He didn't see himself get a late pass, or walk down the hallway with teachers' eyes on him. He ended up in Mr. Silva's room. He handed him the pass and slumped into his seat, staring at his desk in boredom that he no longer registered.

"You! What happened to you?" Ren hissed at him. His eyes flickered briefly in that direction before squeezing shut in the pain of hearing his voice and seeing his face.

"Speak up! What happened?" he poked him hard in the back with his pen.

"Nothing." he sighed dejectedly, turning his face away and leaning it on his desk.

"Nothing doesn't beat people up." Ren shot his own words at him.

"So what? It's my business." Horo mocked him. Ren growled under his breath and turned back to the front. After class, Ren grabbed Horo by the wrist and dragged him to the boys' bathroom, slamming him into the wall.

"Okay, Horokeu, you remember the rules to our game, right? You are going to give me what I want, and I want to know what the hell is up with you!" he snapped.

"Nothing happened, okay? Just a stupid gang took my money. It happens to everyone." Horo said, attempting to push past him, only to have his back meet the wall again.

"They didn't rape you, did they?" he asked, almost looking worried.

"No. What do you care?" he asked defensively. Ren smirked.

"Because I have to get them back, now. No one touches my bitch and gets away with it." he answered.

"Just, stop it, Ren! I'm not your bitch! What do you care if I'm hurt? You hurt me worse than anyone else ever will! What do you care if I get raped? You raped me last night! What do you care if anything happens to me!" he asked, tears he had suppressed springing to his eyes.

"Horo... I..." he tried to speak, but Horo cut him off.

"No! Just leave me the hell alone! You've done enough damage already!" he shouted, running out the door as fast as he could and leaving Ren in shock.

"Horo..." he whispered nearly inaudibly. Horo ran out the double doors at the entrance of school, jumping down the steps. His throat began to burn as he just kept going, not caring where he was headed, as long as he got away from Ren.

He found himself in the park where he and his sister used to hang out before she got too old to enjoy spending time with him. His eyes wandered over the small pond as he made his way to the middle of the bridge, seating himself on the bench there. Memories filtered through his mind until he recalled one particular afternoon.

FLASHBACK

"Onii-chan?" Pilika asked as they stared out over the calm water.

"Hai?" he replied lazily.

"Do you think you'll ever fall in love?" she asked.

"What brought this on?" he asked, turning to face her.

"I don't know... I guess it's just that if you can do it, maybe I can, too." she said with a faint smile.

"Well... I don't know, really. I have a feeling I might, but you can't completely trust a hunch. I think that if I do, I'll know it. Don't worry about falling in love. I'm sure you'll fall in love, Pilika. You're just that kind of girl, and you are my sister, after all!" he laughed and gave her a playful nudge before returning his stare to the ripples in the clear water below.

"Do you want to fall in love someday?" she asked next.

"Sure. I'd love to. I have my dreams of a future. Someone who loves me, maybe some kids, a house with a warm fire in the winter, possibly a pet, and a good job. Most people are lucky to even get the house and job, though." he answered. They stood there in silence, enjoying the sight of the sun beginning to fade away in the distance, painting the skies in many colors.

END FLASHBACK

Looking back, he realized he had never said that the person would be a female. "Maybe my subconscious already knew..." he sighed, standing to go home as the sun's light grew fainter. When he got home, he locked himself in his room again, causing his mother to proclaim that he was in another one of those teenage phases.

'If only she knew... I will never recover...' he thought, tears once again streaming down his face into his pillow as he sobbed out his sorrows. He never went for tutoring that day, unable to bear seeing the cause of his pain again. The next day he stayed plugged up in his room until afternoon, when he was called to go to their new 'home,' which he had dubbed, the Hell Hole. He sat in the back of the car the whole ride, silent as a stone.

When they got there, Ren answered and tried to talk to him, but he rushed to his room and locked the door behind him. He leaned against the door and slowly sank to the ground. His eyes trailed over the room, memories flooding his senses. He stood and slowly walked forward, looking at the spot on the ground where it had taken place. Finally, he reached the bed, plopping onto it while his eyes refused to remove themselves from the place of torture. Hours passed unchecked until a knock came to his door.

"Horo! Time for dinner!" Pilika called happily.

"I'm not that hungry. Maybe later." he replied, averting his eyes to the ceiling.

"...You okay?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah..." he lied, and he heard her footsteps as they traipsed off to eat.

The next day, he moped around his room, telling everyone he wasn't hungry and didn't want to come out. Others no longer mattered to him and he just wanted to be alone with his deepening depression.

That night, his mother knocked on his door, demanding that he go eat, but he ignored her, off in his own world he was visiting more and more frequently. A few minutes after she left, Ren came.

"Open up, Horo!" he demanded.

"Just go away! Leave me in this hell you created for me! You're just a fucked up bastard and I never want to see you again!" he yelled back, hiding his face in the pillow as he cried again. Dark circles were beginning to form under his eyes and he hadn't eaten for days.

"Horo! I... I've been thinking... I really do like you. I love you. I was just afraid to admit it to myself; afraid that by admitting it, I would be punished, or you would be hurt. Just like when I was punished for being your friend. I knew that if it continued, my father would get rid of you, so I said those things. I love you, Horo Horo... Please, come out. At least eat." he pleaded, his voice cracking.

"N-No! You'll just cause me more pain! I-I hate you! I hate you, Tao Ren!" he shouted. He heard the faint sound of feet padding away and mentally kicked himself. He hadn't meant to be so harsh, and now he had hurt Ren, which in turn hurt himself.

The next morning, he decided to come out. He could at least pretend to be happy. It wasn't fair making people worry like that. Biting his lip, he applied make-up to his face to cover the rings and made his way down to wait outside the door for Pilika like he always did to walk to school. However, he hadn't expected Ren to come out first.

"Horo! Are you okay?" he asked, concern radiating from his voice.

"Hn. Yeah, I'm fine, bastard. Why don't you leave me be and go fuck yourself?" he grunted, faking anger.

"Horo, I... Fine." he said, angrily, turning sharply and stalking off. Eventually, Pilika emerged and the two of them made their way to school, where they split up to their classes. However, Horo simply went to the school's roof, having already decided school was a waste of his time. He only stayed on the grounds for his sister's sake, now.

As he sat, he considered what Ren had told him the night before. Perhaps he was wrong to judge him so quickly. That thought went flying out the window, though, when he saw Ren holding hands with a cute girl, who was leaning her head on his shoulder at lunchtime. Jealousy and hurt welled up within him and he ran off quickly. He ran to the park again and huddled up on the bench, refusing to cry anymore.

"I don't need that bastard. Let him screw around with that bitch." he muttered to himself.

"Of course you don't need him. You won't need him if you join us. You'll get stronger, and no one will ever hurt you again." a calm voice said. He looked up and saw some kids from his school that were known for their crime sprees, drug usage and violence. They were commonly called the X-Laws and had accepted it as their gang title. He remembered Lyserg and Jeanne used to be members, but they didn't like to recall their experiences.

"What do you want?" he asked coldly, glaring up at the leader, Marco. He was in no mood to talk to people.

"You have what it takes to be an X-Law. We will ask you once, and only once, do you want to join?" he asked.

"I..." he began, fully decided that he would refuse, but then the image of Ren flashed through his head.

"Of course." he said, a stony smile curving on his lips. They nodded in confirmation and grinned slyly, leading him off to a store.

"Now, Horo, all you have to do is go in there and lift us a few packs of cigarettes and a few bottles of alcohol." Marco instructed, pointing to the small drug store. The others began chuckling behind him and Horo realized it was a joke. His glare returned in full force and the smile slid from his features. He stalked across the street and straight into the store, snatching the requested items. The clerk stopped him.

"Hey, you're underage! Shouldn't you be in school?" he asked, attempting to take the stuff back. Horo slammed his fist into the poor man's face. Then he landed a few more punches and kicks, leaving the man unconscious on the ground. He walked out and back to them, dropping the goods at their feet.

"...You actually did it?" One of them asked in disbelief.

"Duh, bitch." he answered. They nodded in approval and formally welcomed him.

"Now that you're with us, you'll have to stop hanging out with those freaks you call friends. We are your family, now, so we all look out for each other. Who was it that hurt you? We have to avenge you and teach him what happens when he messes with our brother." they said.

"Oh, I'll get that lying son of a bitch back, but not that way. I want to make him suffer. I want to watch him plunge into the depths of despair, just like he watched me." Horo Horo growled, anger creeping up within him again.

"Let's get out of here before that clerk gets up." Marco ordered.

"No need. He's a dead man. He isn't getting back up." Horo said emotionlessly. They all stared at him in horror, beginning to edge away.

"Marco is the worst of us, and he never even did a thing like that." the youngest squeaked out.

"Then maybe Marco isn't strong enough to be the leader. Maybe Marco needs some guts." he said, turning to Marco, who backed up into the wall. He walked up to him and punched him in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain.

"If you bastards aren't strong enough, you can all just go to hell with that freak! You got a problem with it?" he snapped at Marco.

"N-No, Horo-sama." he choked out. He grinned.

"Horo-sama? I like that. I like that a lot. Let's go." he ordered, and they all followed him, the stolen items in tow.


	5. Evil Horo

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

CHAPTER FIVE – Evil Horo

Horo Horo threw an empty bottle down, causing it to smash at the feet of his terrified followers. It had been many days since he had last seen his family and he was slowly formulating his revenge plan.

"Marco..." he drawled out, slightly drunk.

"Hai, Horo-sama?" the older boy asked, bowing.

"Find this 'Jasmina.' Bring her to me." he ordered. Marco nodded and turned to leave.

"And Marco... Don't hurt her...not yet..." Horo added.

Pilika sat with her friends in a circle, frowning.

"Onii-chan has been missing a long time..." she murmured. Ren nodded guiltily, his arm the prisoner of a pretty girl. He didn't really remember her name and frankly, couldn't care less. He had been using her in an attempt to stir up some jealousy in Horo, hoping to get the boy back. However, his plan seemed to have back-fired. Horo had run off without a trace and to make matters worse, rumors were drifting around that the new leader of the X-Laws had kidnapped him.

"Oh, you all must be so worried... What if it's true and the X-Laws have him?" the girl asked in horror.

"I don't know, Jasmina...I just don't know..." Pilika answered, tears forming for the millionth time that day.

"Fuck this! You all act like he's dead! He's fine and I know it!" Ren shouted and jumped up, running off. He ran as far as he could and stopped when he saw a bridge. But more important than the bridge was the figure on it. There was Horo, staring up at the sky with dull and lifeless eyes. Ren slowly walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"H-Horo?" he asked tentatively. He gasped when Horo turned to him with a lecherous grin on his face, a maniacal glint in his eye.

"Does the kitten want to come out and play?" he asked slowly, taking his time. Ren stared in fear.

"W-What are you talking about, Horo? Stop this fucking nonsense! Go home! Your family is worried about you...I'm...worried about you..." he trailed off.

"So, kitten, you don't like playing the game, huh? When it was a cat-and-mouse game you have no problem, but the mouse turned into a dragon and now you cower in fear." Horo hissed.

"Horo, you're drunk. Go home." Ren demanded.

"Do you...want to go home with me?" he asked back.

"Sure. Come on." Ren tried to take Horo's hand to lead him to Tao mansion, but Horo pulled away.

"That's not the right way, Renny..." he murmured. Ren looked confused.

"Yes it is." he told him.

"No. My home is with my family. My family won't let anything hurt me anymore." Horo said. Ren stared.

"Horo, any family that tries to promise shit like that is no family at all." he whispered. Horo glanced up, knowing his time was running short, and shoved Ren against the rail, pinning him.

"Now we play by MY rules. I will come again for you, so you better be ready... au revoir." he said before crushing his lips against Ren's and running off, leaving the Chinese boy breathless and confused.

"H-Horo-sama? M-May I ask why we have the girl?" Miller asked, scared to death. Horo Horo turned to her slowly.

"I have my reasons... Bring her in and leave the two of us alone." he ordered. Miller nodded and ran off. A moment later she threw the small girl into the room and closed the door behind her. Horo stepped forward as the girl slowly sat up, looking up at him with frightened eyes.

"W-Why are you doing this?" she asked, tears pouring down her face. Horo sneered at her.

"You were fucking around with MY Ren." he growled, pure hatred flooding his eyes.

"I promise I'll never look at him again! Just let me go! Please!" she begged. Horo grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to eye level, their faces close.

"Oh, I'll make sure you never see him again..." he hissed and roughly kissed her, ripping off her shirt at the same time. He took her bra and tore it off, pushing her onto her knees. He yanked her skirt and panties down and jerked his pants and boxers out of the way as well before mounting her sobbing form. He took his time, whispering cruel words in her ear as he drew the moment out.

Without warning he slammed himself inside of her, breaking through her maiden head easily. She screamed in pain and shock. He grinned and pulled out completely before ramming back in. She continued to cry out in pain at each forced entry and he picked up the pace, all the while shouting into her ear.

"Fucking bitch! You dared to touch MY Ren! I'll make sure you never touch him again!" he yelled angrily. She cried and screamed louder at the torture. He calmed down a bit and began to whisper again.

"That's it... scream... scream louder, Jasmina... I can't hear you... scream for me..." he whispered into her ear as his hand ran a cold blade down her cheek and neck. Finally he came, releasing himself into her and quickly pulling out and pulling up his pants.

"Nice fuck, bitch." he said and kicked her in the stomach. He held the switch blade up again, examining the shine of the sharp edge, and grinned.

"Now I'll make sure you never see him again..." he said with a maniacal glint in his eyes. He jerked up on her hair and stabbed the blade into her left eye, watching the blood pour out and listening to her screams of agony. He moved the fine point in deeper and swished it around, carving through her eyeball. He then moved to the other one, repeating the cruel torment. Next he forced her mouth open and ripped the blade into her tongue, twisting it inside the flesh and pulling it out. He dug the point across her cheeks and lips, then dropped her back on the floor, laughing all the while. Finally he took the blade and carved deep, perfect letters into her chest.

The next day, Ren woke bright and early for another day of school. He was just leaving when the phone rang. He answered, a bit annoyed at the interruption to his daily routine.

"Moshi moshi" he answered.

"Tao Ren?" the voice asked.

"Hai." he replied.

"You are needed at the Funbari morgue. We believe you may be able to identify a body for us." the voice said.

"Hai, hai. I'll be there soon." he rolled his eyes and hung up, heading to the morgue a bit curiously. Who did he know that could die? His eyes widened slightly in fear as the thought struck him that Horo could have...no, impossible! Horo couldn't be dead! However, doubt had spread through Ren's mind and he hurried to the morgue. He was led past rows of file-cabinets containing dead and decaying bodies until they reached one that was out and covered with a white sheet.

"It's a disturbing thing under there." they warned.

"Hai, hai. I've seen many dead bodies before." he replied. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw then, however. They slowly removed the covering from the face and he stared in horror at Jasmina's dead lifeless body. He stumbled back in disgust, breathing rapidly.

"Jasmina..." he choked out. They rushed to him and sat him down on the floor until he calmed down enough to explain who she was and how he knew her. When that was over, he stared at her for a while in silence, all alone, before becoming curious. He gently pulled back more of the sheet, staring in fear at the words carved into her breasts.

_Ring, ring, kitten. _Ren jumped as his cell phone began to ring, and slowly brought it to his ear, clicking the talk button. Horo's voice cackled into his hearing.

"_Kitten won't play but dragon will. Dragon will come, so kitten sit still. Go with another, others will pay. Wait for me, kitten, and dragon will play."_


	6. Horo's Rules

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

CHAPTER SIX – Horo's Rules

Life in Funbari had become increasingly tense in the days following Horo's disappearance and Jasmina's death. School want on as always, boring hour after boring hour slipping by unchecked as class after class went by and each second brought Ren closer to the day Horo would come for him. Each day he was met with fear and suspicion and every look he got drove another nail of guilt into his tormented heart, especially Pilika's. Her glares were full of pure hatred. His dreams were disturbed with visions of Horo's pain-filled eyes. One day, as he went to school, he found himself shoved into a wall roughly. Opening his eyes, he saw Hao Asakura looking at him with hate-filled eyes.

"You..." he hissed. "You did all of this! You killed Jasmina! You destroyed Horo's life! Now it's payback time..." He brought back a fist and punched the impassive Chinese, who took the next blows uncaringly. A few more hits sent him to the ground as Hao kicked him hard. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a blue blur knocked the Asakura aside.

"H-Horo?" Hao choked out in shock. Horo's eyes narrowed.

"How DARE you touch MY kitten?" he hissed. True fear dawned into the chocolate-colored eyes as the Ainu closed in menacingly. He stopped at the tug on the bottom of his pants, however. Ren weakly looked up at him, completely exhausted and in no condition to hold the older back.

"Horo, it's okay. He didn't do anything. Leave him alone." Ren coughed. Horo glared back at the older Asakura twin.

"I can't do that. He touched you. He touched MY kitten. There isn't room for him in the game, kitten. There isn't room for more players. He must be eliminated." Horo said, getting angrier.

"Horo, no!" Ren pleaded.

"Stay out of this!" he kicked Ren away, sending him into the realm of unconsciousness.

"He's interfering with the game. He's playing the game and he's not following my rules..." he whispered, an insane look in his eyes as he stepped to the poor boy and jerked him up.

"Don't TOUCH him..." he said as he plunged a switch blade into Hao's gut.

"Don't HIT him!" he twisted the silver blade.

"And never, ever, LOOK AT MY KITTEN!" he shouted, pulling the knife out and shoving the boy up against the wall again. He took the point of the blade and dug it into the base of Hao's neck, slicing down from there and around the heart. He gently took the beating object, as Hao looked on in horror with his last breaths. He took the blade again and cut the central organ loose, yanking it out. Grinning wildly, he brought it to his lips and ate it, bloody bite by bloody bite. Crimson liquid dribbled down his chin and into his clothes, it covered his hands and soaked his shirt. He laughed as he finished the heart of his friend. Ren woke slowly, finding himself alive and in a hospital to his surprise. He was soon greeted by Pilika's tear-filled face.

"Where is my onii-chan!" she screamed hysterically, the tears flowing.

"Where is he?" she whispered again, trying to calm down.

"I don't know. But...he isn't himself anymore. He's insane. He thinks it's all a game to kill people, Pilika-san." he said softly.

"No! My onii-chan is NOT crazy! This is all your fault! Now I'll never see him again!" she yelled.

"What?" he asked.

"Okaa-san is scared. We're moving out of the country, and we're leaving onii-chan here to be killed by the police!" she screamed at him.

When she calmed again, she whispered, "Please...take care of him for me?" After his stunned nod, she left as quickly as she came. As she left, a police man entered.

"Do you know anything about this?" he asked softly, and placed a stack of pictures before him. Ren stared in horror and mortification at the pictures of Hao Asakura's body, nailed to a cross. His eyes were missing, his face set in a scream of agony, his chest open and empty of a heart, his entrails on the floor of the alleyway he was in. Blood had caked as it ran down his cheeks like tears from his eyes. He was wearing only a bloody bit of cloth over his genitals. What caught Ren's attention, however, were the words carved into his chest.

_Paper and pen, my sweet kitten._

"Hao..." Ren whispered sadly, and explained to the waiting detective. When the man had left, Ren's mind went into overdrive. Too much was happening in so little time and he had only just woken up. Before he knew what was happening, he had drifted into a tortured sleep, plagued by grins, blood, and messages.

When he woke the second time, he saw a card on the bed-side table. He lifted it and smiled slightly at the words in big letters _Get Well Soon_. When he opened it and read, however, the smile vanished.

_Get well soon, oh yes, please do. Dear kitten, dragon will wait for you. People live and people die. Don't waste your time on them and cry. The other threatened dragon's toy. He deserved to die, that stupid boy. No one cares and no one will mind. Kitten, leave all that shit behind. When you read this you will see. You're all alone, just you and me. No one else plays by the rules. They're in my way, the stupid fools. Try to leave and try to run. I'll chase you 'til it's over and done. So if you let them interfere, you'll wish you didn't, kitten, my dear._


	7. Anniversary

CHAPTER SEVEN - Anniversary

A week had gone by and Ren was back at home and going to school regularly again. Now even more of an outcast from society, he was content to allow rumors to run rampant. He had attended the funerals of both Jasmina and Hao, but found he wasn't welcome with Horo's old friends anymore. Yoh had yelled at him shortly after Hao's death, Anna called him a few choice names in a note, and the rest of the group would only give him cold glares from afar. He went about his business like a zombie, and either cried himself to sleep or stared blandly out the window at night, every now and then he thought he saw a face in the window, or a breath of cold air right beside him as the days grew colder.

Finally, he found himself going to the airport, ready to give a final farewell to the only one treating him like an actual human…Pilika. He arrived a bit late, but ran through the crowds full of hope that they hadn't gone quite yet. He stopped dead at the sight before him when he reached the gate she was leaving from. Pilika lay dying on the floor, a gaping knife wound in her stomach, her eyes stabbed out. Her mother was crying beside her. He rushed over, but was held back by a policeman.

"Pilika!" he shouted. Horo's mother turned and gestured to let him through. He knelt beside the dying Ainu, taking her hand in his.

"R-Ren-k-kun." She smiled and coughed a bit, blood running down her face.

"Pilika…I'm so sorry. This was all my fault." Ren said, surprisingly calm.

"N-No. I sh-shouldn't have l-let him get so d-deep. M-Mother…t-tell him. He d-deserves to know." She whispered as her breath caught and she breathed out one last shaky breath.

"Pilika…" her mother cried and nodded before breaking into more sobs. Ren suddenly felt electric blue eyes on him. He turned slightly, catching sight of the emotionless face in the crowd.

"Horo…" he muttered, and saw the boy grin knowingly, his teeth tinted crimson. He held up two tufts of hair for display: one green, one black. The color drained from Ren's face and he bolted, pushing through the crowd and running for the door. He rushed back home as quick as he could, ignoring the pounding pain in his chest. He ran up the steps to the door and fumbled with the key before finally unlocking it and opening the door.

He stepped in quietly and looked down when he heard a splash as his feet hit the puddle on the ground. Then he saw what it was. A pool of blood on the ground, splashed on the ceiling, smeared on the walls, painting everything in the large foyer blood crimson. He took a few more steps and entered the dining room, finding bodies of servants lining the walls, some of them nailed up onto the ceiling and making drops of blood fall every now and then. The table was set up with candles and two seats side by side, and atop the table were the bodies of his sister and father, their heads scalped, their organs gone, and their eyes stabbed out, as with all the other corpses. Two bowls filled with some sort of hot stew were set at the two places, and there at the head of the table sat Horo, his hands folded neatly and a maniacal grin plastered onto his face.

"I hope you don't mind, kitten. I took the liberty of letting myself in early to decorate for our anniversary." He said.

"Anniversary?" Ren echoed dumbly, glancing around the room again, noticing the blood-stained chandelier that cast an eerie red glow around the room as the shadows danced with the flickering candles. Horo nodded.

"Six months to the day since you destroyed my world. I built it so carefully, kitten. I tweaked it to perfection. You…you ruined my life's work. You made me start to see the sick, lost, pathetic, mindless, filthy, rotting, loathsome creatures again. They're like ants, kitten. Ants. You squash one and the rest run about like crazy people. But then there was the odd one out of the bunch in the ant farm. The albino. You, kitten, you are the albino. You're the odd one out. The one that bit the ant farmer. The one that made him see what useless creatures you ants really are." Horo said, his eyes shifting about the room as he stood. Ren took a step back.

"Don't be afraid, kitten. Come eat. I'm not much of a cook, but this meal is to die for." He chuckled, reaching out a hand. Ren hesitated.

"Horo, this needs to stop." He stated firmly, crossing his arms. Horo looked him up and down, as if summing him up.

"This is my game, kitten. You are mine. You have no say in this. Now come and eat your stew." He narrowed his eyes.

"No, Horokeu. You need to grow up and face your problems. This isn't a game, dammit!" Ren snapped. Horo stalked up to him, glaring down at him.

"No. this isn't a game." He acknowledged. "It's terrifyingly real." He hissed in Ren's ear as he circled around behind him. Golden eyes widened in fear. Horo grabbed his arms and guided him to a seat, then pushed him down and shoved a spoon into his hand.

"Eat." Ren's mind was frozen. He couldn't think. He obediently began to eat the stew, chewing slowly and swallowing. Horo smiled in satisfaction and sat, watching as Ren ate his meal.

"You like it?" the Ainu asked in anticipation. Ren nodded robotically. Horo nodded, grinning happily.

"Good, good."

"Horo…why are you doing this to me?" Ren asked numbly. Horo looked thoughtful, as if mulling this over.

"Even though kitten caused Horo such pain…he…He wants to protect you. Me…I just…I want revenge. I want you to hurt inside and I want it to eat away at you like acid until you can't think of breath or feel…until your soul cries out for mercy and your dreams haunt you…until you can't stand it anymore and you lose yourself in the agony. And yet…Horo wants…he wants you to be safe…he wants you to love him…he wants to have you, to devour you in your rawest, purest state. We love you. You…Ren…kitten…mine…ours. You're my obsession; my possession. You're his kindred spirit; his soul mate. We want to have you, right here, right now. We've only got so much patience." Horo said distantly.

"I don't understand." Ren stated quietly.

"It doesn't matter. Miller!" he barked, and she crept in silently for fear of him.

"Prepare kitten. We'll be in our room."


	8. No Matter What

I do not own Shaman King

CHAPTER EIGHT – No Matter What

"I'm sorry, Ren-kun…I really am. This should never have happened." Miller said as she brushed Ren's wet hair, having already made sure he bathed.

"No. I deserve it. Maybe tonight I can correct my mistakes and make amends." Ren whispered softly as tears slid slowly down his cheeks. Finally Miller escorted him to Horo's old room, halting outside the door.

"I wish you the best." Miller said, giving him a sad look.

"What will happen to you?" he asked. She made a poor attempt to laugh.

"I'll be alright. You just worry about yourself." She replied, but her look betrayed her. Ren nodded slowly, his eyes sliding shut.

"I will pray your soul finds peace." She smiled at him.

"Arigatou, Ren." He surprised her by suddenly pulling her into a brief hug.

"Sayanora, Miller-san." He then turned and pushed open the door, shutting it gently behind him. An ocean blue gaze danced over his skin, taking in his clothes and flawless complexion, his tiger eyes dim with acceptance. Horo strode over to him with eyes full of compassion.

"Shh…please…don't cry, kitten." He hushed Ren, cupping his chin and brushing away the crystalline droplets. He tilted Ren's face upward and brushed his lips against Ren's, sighing softly into the kiss. Horo leaned his forehead against Ren's, his eyes shut and face calm.

"I missed you, Ren." He breathed.

"I-Is it really you, Horo?" Ren asked, his hand tracing Horo's jaw. The Ainu nodded slightly.

"I love you so much, Ren." Ren closed his eyes and brought their lips together again. When they parted, Horo whispered in Ren's ear.

"Let me have you. Give yourself to me, whole. Let me take you. Let me devour you." Ren blinked, seeing Horo's maniac look had returned. He swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep breath.

"Have me, Horo. I give myself, whole. Take me; devour me and leave nothing behind. I am yours; keep me. I love you." He whispered shakily, the tears stinging his eyes again. Horo's grip tightened.

"I promise. You won't regret it. I will break them, kitten. I will rule them, control them. And you…you will be my queen. I'll get you a throne, a palace. Anything you ask will be yours. This is my vow to you." Horo said. Ren looked up at him longingly.

"The only thing I wish…is that you would surrender my Horokeu. All the fine things in the world could not amount to the worth of him. Even if just for one night…I just wish…that he would come back…and…and m-make love to me t-tonight." Ren choked out the last part as if his heart were breaking into a million pieces. Horo moved around behind him.

"Oh, my love." He whispered against Ren's neck, the warm breath making him shiver. Horo embraced him from behind.

"I'm here, Ren. I'm here." The love and care in his voice made Ren's heart leap in joy. His hands entwined with the larger ones around him, and he leaned back in content.

"Please don't leave me again." Ren whispered as Horo shifted slightly to one side of him.

"I won't. I promise." Horo began to trail warm kisses down the younger boy's neck and shoulder while undoing the clasps of his shirt. Ren turned around and pulled Horo's t-shirt over his head, throwing it aside. His eyes took in the Ainu's bare chest greedily as he ran his hands over it in a fluid up and down motion. He could feel the muscles ripple as they tensed and relaxed to his gentle touch. Horo Horo soon pushed the top from the Chinese's shoulders before claiming his lips in a heated kiss. Ren pushed their bare chests together as he leaned on his tippy-toes to deepen the kiss.

Horo made a small noise and shoved his tongue into his lover's mouth, trying to taste him all at once as he moved Ren towards the bed. Ren stopped moving backwards when he felt the bed hit his legs, but Horo slyly slipped his leg around and knocked Ren's feet out from under him, causing him to cry out in shock and pull Horo down onto the bed with him. The killer loomed over him, and for a moment they just looked into each other's eyes.

Ren stared hard into the blue eyes above him, trying to catch a glimpse of his thoughts…of who he even was. But the eyes looking at him seemed like a big mess of confusion, a storm.

Horo stared back into the gold eyes beneath him, trying to be sure of the sincerity he kept thinking he had glimpsed. And there he saw it, shining in those eyes…emotions he knew well. There was a small amount of fear, but not the fear he saw in the others' eyes…a different fear…and then there was so much love overflowing from the golden orbs before him.

Ren initiated the kiss again, caressing his face and chest as he did so, pulling him closer as if in fear of losing him. Horo gave a surprised grunt when he felt Ren's hands move around behind him, pulling him closer with one hand tangling into his hair and the other moving down low on his back to the rim of his pants. Ren moaned softly as a hot tongue made its way down his muscular chest.

Horo felt himself growing more excited as Ren made little noises and moans of encouragement to his ministrations. He dipped his tongue into Ren's navel, getting shivers down his spine as Ren's back arched up. He reached a hand and yanked off the cloth that held his lover's pants up, then quickly removed those as well, leaving the younger clad in only his boxers, his arousal easily noticed through the thin material.

Horo gasped as he felt slender fingers massaging his painful erection. Looking down he realized that Ren had somehow managed to slip his hand down his pants without his noticing and was now teasingly stroking his length. His eyes rolled back in his head at the pleasurable sensations coursing through his body and he made a few strangled noises deep in his throat. His breath became shaky and he grabbed Ren's wrist, removing the hand in favor of getting up slightly so he could pull off the offending clothes.

Ren sat up while Horo was busy and when the boxers were removed, quickly set to work, licking the tip of the shaft slowly before bringing it into his mouth, inch by inch. He sucked at it a little, keeping a constant eye on the Ainu's face to gauge his reactions as he moved his tongue around. Horo thrust into his mouth, his mouth open a little and his eyes tightly shut as he made noises of appreciation. Ren pulled away, making the older groan in disappointment.

The younger boy went up and kissed him again, this time managing to get his tongue into Horo's mouth, rather than the opposite. He pushed himself up against Horo, trying to get a better position, causing Horo to moan softly at the movement against his hardness. Ren moved his hands to Horo's hips, gripping them firmly and grinding them against his own as he moaned in pleasure. Horo brought their lips together again and slid Ren's boxers off; throwing them into a corner of the room as he gently lowered himself over the younger, supporting some of his weight on his elbows. He moved his hands over Ren's back, loving it even more when Ren bucked his hips up at some sensitive skin he touched.

Ren moaned loudly as their hardened members came in contact, wrapping one leg around Horo's waist to pull him closer. Horo's hand moved down and began to pump Ren's aching organ, earning more moans and a gasp. When he grew bored of this, Horo set to work, slipping one finger into Ren, causing him to gasp at the sensation and close his eyes tightly. He slipped in another finger to join the first, and the younger boy's nails dug into his back as tears formed in the corners of golden eyes.

"Horo…it hurts so bad…" Ren whispered between clenched teeth as a third digit entered him. Horo made a few comforting noises, planting kisses all over his face and neck before beginning to move his fingers in slow, circling motions and fast, scissoring ones. Ren whimpered in pain, his face twisting at the burning feeling of being stretched.

Finally, the fingers were removed and Ren's face relaxed, only to return to its distressed expression when he felt Horo's length slowly inching into him. His eyes were tightly shut and he bit down on his lip, tasting blood in his mouth but not caring because Horo wasn't exactly small in that department. Soon, all movement stopped and Ren opened his eyes, seeing concerned blue ones staring back at him. Horo slowly brought Ren's legs up, hooking them over his shoulders.

"Ready?" he asked softly. The Chinese closed his eyes and gave a curt nod.

"I love you." He whispered before bracing himself for the first movement. Horo slowly pulled out and in one quick motion, plunged back in, deeper this time. Ren moaned quietly. Horo smiled a little and picked up a pace, a steady beat that he moved to.

"Horo…" Ren moaned, louder than last time. The Ainu loved the sound of his name coming from those sweet lips, closing his eyes as he went a little faster. Ren thrust his hips upward, moving in synchrony with his lover as he grew louder. Horo moved his head down closer, speaking into Ren's ear.

"Scream, Ren. Scream my name! I want to hear you scream it. Scream it, Ren!" Ren couldn't think. He was caught in the movement, the emotions, the feeling of Horo within him, moving in and out and his breath in his ear. He quickly complied, yelling out Horo's name, shouting it to the heavens as his lover rocked within him even faster.

"Horo! Oh, god, Horo!" he couldn't contain himself as he kept screaming it, his nails digging deeper into Horo's back, and his thrusts becoming harder. He could hear Horo moaning his own name, making him want even more. He could feel himself coming close, so close to the end it was painful. Suddenly, Horo came, Ren's name on his lips, filling Ren completely with his hot seed. That sent Ren over the edge and he released over them both. Everything slowed down and seemed to stop for a moment as they caught their breath. Finally, Horo's hand wiped away a few tears from his face, gently, and his lips were against Ren's.

"I love you so much, Horo." Ren whispered as Horo pulled out of him and moved to his side, lovingly running his hands along Ren's sides.

"I love you, too, Ren." Came the soft reply. Ren closed his eyes and cuddled close, leaning his head on the older boy's chest.

"Never leave me." He murmured sleepily.

"I promise, Ren. I'll never leave you…no matter what."


	9. I Won't Let Me Hurt You

CHAPTER NINE – I Won't Let Me Hurt You

Ren got up slowly, finding Horo's bright blue eyes cheerfully staring at him from across the room in a chair.

"Koi?" he questioned unsurely, smiling when Horo nodded and came to him, kissing him lovingly.

"Come! I made breakfast!" the Ainu stated excitedly, bouncing up with Ren's hand in his own and dragging Ren downstairs to the dining room. Ren looked around, surprised that the horror scene from yesterday was gone, not a trace of the gore, not even a blood stain on the carpet. Horo grinned knowingly.

"Impressed? I cleaned it all up myself. I know that stuff upset you." He led the Chinese to a seat where a large breakfast feast was set up. Eggs, bacon, toast, fruits, juice, milk, water, pastries and all sorts of other goodies were on the menu and Ren had to raise a brow.

"You did this all yourself?" he asked. Horo nodded quickly.

"I got up after you fell asleep. I'm not much of a sleeper these days, and I knew I had so much work to do. I did it all so I could see that priceless smile on your perfect face. You definitely didn't disappoint me on that part." He said softly. Ren blushed and Horo began to serve him, amazingly dishing out only Ren's absolute favorite breakfast treats. Horo waited for Ren to take a bite of his food and nod approvingly before he touched his own.

"Thank you, Horo." Ren whispered when he swallowed the bite. Horo looked at him curiously. "For coming back." The younger teen explained, tears forming in his eyes. The Ainu's eyes turned concerned.

"Oh, Ren, don't cry. Please don't cry." He said, biting his lip harshly. Ren blinked away the tears.

"I'm just so happy." He said and they continued with their breakfast. Afterwards, they both helped to clear the table, every now and then stopping to give or receive quick kisses. They were washing the dishes when Horo suddenly froze, his eyes widening slightly.

"Um…I gotta go to the bathroom…be right back." He muttered, putting down the plate he'd been drying and leaving. Ren continued to wash the silverware, humming some tune as he did so. A moment later Horo stalked back into the room quickly.

"Back already? Do you not know where the bathroom is?" Ren asked, pulling his hands out of the sudsy water and turning, only to stop at the expression on his lover's face. "Wh-What's wrong?" he asked fearfully. Electric blue eyes narrowed menacingly.

"You BITCH!" Horo yelled in a rage, landing a stinging slap on Ren's face, making his mind swirl. Ren looked back at him, gently cradling his cheek, his eyes watering.

"What did I do?" he asked.

"You lying little WHORE! FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKING SLUT! YOU FUCKING TAO BITCH!" Horo screamed, punching Ren a few times in the gut. Ren curled up in the corner of the room, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Horo, what did I do? I don't know what I did!" he began to cry. Horo hesitated at that before turning and kicking a cupboard, causing it to smash.

"You fucking whore! Last night was all a big joke to you, wasn't it! What we did meant absolutely NOTHING to you! All those things you said…FILTHY LIES! YOU COCKY SON OF A BITCH! So you thought you'd just play around with me, did you! You thought you'd just fuck with me and keep me here for the fucking police to show up! You lying BASTARD!" he shouted at Ren as the cornered boy sobbed even harder.

"I didn't do anything, Horo, you have to believe me! I didn't know! I love you, Horo! Last night meant everything to me! Oh, god, Horo, you have to believe me! I didn't know! I didn't know!" he cried. Horo Horo once again hesitated. He began to turn around in a confused and angry circle, seemingly unable to make up his mind. His hands kept grabbing at his head as he grew more confused and angry, muttering under his breath, just barely audible.

"Leave Ren alone…he didn't do anything…the bastard betrayed us…it was all a set up, a trap…he's a trickster and a whore…no, that's not Ren…he'd never do that to me…he's a lying bastard, he'd do anything to save himself…but…all those things he said…he tricked you, you stupid bastard…but I saw it in his eyes…you saw FEAR in his eyes! He doesn't LOVE you! You don't even know what love looks like…y-you're right…he betrayed me…look at that liar, let's kill him…but…that's Ren…I can't…yes, you can! You killed many, and you can do it again…get your revenge…NO! I HATE YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE! I WILL NEVER HURT REN! NO MATTER HOW MUCH HE HURTS ME!" he shouted, tears in his eyes. Ren was staring at him with big, sad eyes, scared to death. Horo looked back into Ren's eyes for a moment, before turning away.

"Get out of here, Ren. I want you to go. Leave the country, if you have to. Just go somewhere, ANYWHERE, where I can't follow. You need to be somewhere where I can't hurt you. Go!" Ren stood and moved to his lover, touching him lightly on the arm.

"I can't leave you. I love you too much." He whispered.

"You HAVE to go, Ren. I can't keep you safe. As long as you are with me, you're in danger. And not just from the people who are after me…from me, as well…" Horo said as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"I don't care. I'll die without you." Ren replied. Horo turned to him.

"Ren." He said sternly. "If you won't go, then I will. I won't let me hurt you." Ren began to cry and he sniffled lightly, looking down so his tears couldn't be seen. Horo turned and headed for the back of the house, hesitating slightly just in time to catch Ren's whispered words.

"Don't you see, Horo…you're hurting me by leaving…because you promised." Horo froze in his place.

"Gomen nasai…" he murmured before leaving. Ren collapsed back on his knees as he sobbed; feeling like his heart was breaking into thousands of pieces. He heard people banging on the door and shouting for him to open up, but he couldn't find the strength to get up. Finally, the door cracked open and feet were heard, moving all throughout his house.

"Tao Ren?" a voice asked, and he looked up and nodded to the officer before him. "You are being placed under house arrest. We have a federal warrant to search the premises." The man informed him, showing him the warrant. Ren looked at it blindly.

"Are…you alright, sir?" the officer asked. Ren slumped closer to the floor, tears continuing to stream down his face.

"Horokeu…" he whispered.

"Sir, was there a…problem here?" the officer knelt down and used a hand to tilt his face up, inspecting the red mark from Horo's slap. Ren pulled away from the man, curling up in the corner and crying all the more.

"Where is your father?" the man asked. Ren looked up at him with scary, serious eyes.

"Dead." He whispered, looking very much like someone from a horror movie. The officer looked taken aback, stepping back slightly.

"And…Tao Jun?" he questioned.

"Dead." The reply came.

"The servants…?" the policeman asked, dreading the answer.

"Dead. All of them dead. Every last soul, dead…everyone is dead." Ren's voice got sharper with each repetition of the word, his hands going up to cover his face.

"They're all DEAD! My FATHER, my MOTHER, my SISTER, my SERVANTS, MYSELF! THEY'RE DEAD!" he screamed, clawing at his face. The officer's eyes widened and he reached for his radio. Ren stared up at him with scary eyes again, causing him to hesitate.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you. He'll kill you. He'll kill everyone. He killed them all, and he'll kill you. He even killed me." He whispered, his eyes hollow and void. The officer looked unnerved, but grabbed his radio and called for a psychological doctor anyway. Ren's eyes slipped shut.

"Too bad. You're going to die, now." He muttered, his voice sounding careless. Soon, a man came in, dressed all in white. Ren eyed him.

"Pity." He said. "That white coat will be stained red soon." The man looked dead serious and sat down in a chair he'd brought in.

"And why is that?" he asked, holding a clipboard and pen.

"He's going to kill you. He kills everyone around me. Just wait. He'll come back…and he'll kill you…just like he killed me." He answered. The doctor scribbled down some notes.

"Does it make you sad that he killed you?" he asked. Ren chuckled creepily.

"They're all dead…but I feel nothing. He killed my family. He killed my servants. He killed my girlfriend. He killed my enemy. He killed his sister. He killed himself. He killed me. He killed them all. He'll kill you all. He'll kill everyone…and everyone will be dead. Just like me. Everyone will be dead. Just like all the people he's killed already. Dead. Oh, how I wish I could be such a thing. But my death is the worst kind. It's the death where you never really die…and yet you ARE dead." He said.

"I see. Why does he kill them?" the doctor questioned.

"He calls them ants. Ants to squish. I'm his possession. He'll make me his queen. He can't stop himself. He's lost in himself…and he's dead." Ren stated.

"I'm done, here. I've a diagnosis. This boy can't be blamed for his actions. He is showing the classic signs of a double psychological breakdown. He suffers from extreme paranoia and has slight multiple personality syndrome. I'd like to take him with me to my psychological ward, if that's alright. He should be receiving treatment." The man in white told the officer, who agreed.

"Trapped inside a life which is not yours. Spirits within causing terror, fear and darkness. Evil dead. Evil dead…" Ren began to sing quietly to himself, closing his eyes.

"Voice speaks out. All will die tonight. Insanity fills your mind; you hear them calling. Evil dead. Evil dead." The two men turned to stare at him as he continued to sing the melody.

"Covered in blood, all hope is lost. Forever to rot, controlled by the powers of the evil dead, the evil dead…" Ren trailed off, tears slipping down his cheeks again.

"Poor creature. He doesn't want to do what he does." The doctor said, nodding to the officer to help him walk Ren to the back of the car he had. Ren was put into the padded white back of the van, looking around curiously until he was plunged into the darkness when the doors were slammed shut. He huddled into a corner, wishing this could all be a bad dream.


	10. The Truth About the Dragon Part One

CHAPTER TEN – The Truth About The Dragon Part One

A woman walked through the rain, her hair a rich ocean blue, her eyes a pale sky blue. She went slowly, wrapped up tightly in a raincoat, an umbrella in her hand. Finally, she reached the building, the large white walls looming. She stepped inside, smelling the hospital-like scents within. Walking up to the desk, she gained the secretary's attention quickly. She placed the wet umbrella on the front desk and pulled back her hood.

"May I help you?" the secretary asked, smiling fakely and glancing with annoyance at the puddle forming on the wood of the desk.

"Tao Ren." The woman said softly. The clacking of a keyboard rang loudly through the room.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. It appears he was placed in solitary intensive care. Any contact could be detrimental to his well-being. Anything else I can do?" the snide-looking woman asked.

"His doctor, onegai." The drenched lady requested. A phone was snatched up and buttons punched then some quiet conversation.

"He'll be right in. Make yourself comfortable." The secretary returned shortly to her work.

The bluenette removed her coat and placed it on a rack, revealing herself completely. She was a thin woman and not especially attractive, but she had a kind, motherly look about her. She wore an overly large turtleneck sweater and a long skirt that fell to her ankles. On her feet were furry snowboots. Soon a man dressed all in white entered, clipboard in hand.

"Ma'am? What can I do for you?" he asked, extending a hand.

"Tao Ren. I wish to see him." She said as she shook his hand.

"Miss, I'm sure this can wait. He is unstable. The slightest thing could throw him off. He's been here one day and it's doing wonders. We're getting somewhere with him." He stated.

"Sir…I WILL see him. I want to look into the eyes of the one who murdered my children. I will get a warrant if I have to. The law allows me my right to see him and I will not wait. I am Usui Kaede." She said firmly.

The doctor looked displeased but nodded and led her through the corridors. They came to one of those windows where you can see in but the one inside can't see you. Looking through, Kaede saw him. Ren was sat in a corner of the white padded room, his knees held close to his chest as he rocked back and forth.

"Oh, Horokeu…Oh, Horokeu, you've left me…Horokeu, where are you…I've lost you…Oh, Horokeu…my Horokeu…" he kept saying quietly over and over.

"My god…" Kaede murmured.

"He seems to have focused his murderous personality with the name Horokeu. This is his grieving for the killing side he's lost. The progress he's made is incredible." The man in white said.

"Progress! You call this madness PROGRESS! Let me in to see him alone immediately." She demanded. The doctor made to protest but a harsh glare from her soon put him in his place. The next moment she stepped into the room and knelt beside the Chinese boy gently.

"Ren?" she whispered. He halted his movements and looked her direction, but his eyes were so blank he could have been staring straight through her.

"Ren…you have to snap out of this. He's coming for you." She told him hastily. His eyes cleared slightly.

"Horokeu?" he questioned. She nodded.

"I don't have much time. I came to warn you…and tell you the truth. God knows you deserve to know the truth now. Horokeu isn't well…he's never been well. After his father left when he was 8…he's never been the same. He couldn't take it psychologically. When he was 9 we had to send him to an asylum. He…never really got over his time there, but while he was there, he learned to be normal. When he met you, he saw something different. I don't know what triggered it, but he went back to his other self.

He invented his other persona to help him cope with the loss of his father. Now he's using it to help him cope with his entire life. Somehow he's made his other side real…at least for him. He can't stop himself because he's begun to rely too much on the other side of himself. Now you've become an obsession for him…but he may not want you alive much longer. Look at this." She pulled a newspaper from under her arm, showing him the front page. Mystery Murder Kills Off Entire School! Read the article, showing off several photos of the gory mess that was once their school.

"He painted all sorts of words with the blood. Betrayal… lies… Ren… hate… hurt… and other things of that nature. Whatever you did, Ren…you need to get out of here. He's coming for you…I know it." She finished, taking back the newspaper and standing.

"Goodbye." She whispered and left. Ren stared at the ground.

"Horokeu…come for me." He muttered.

Electric blue eyes pierced through the storm, finding the target they'd been seeking. Their owner stood on the tree branch, jumping down and slinking after the lean figure. The person stopped.

"Horokeu." A female voice whispered, and the woman turned, catching sight of the teenage boy standing there. Horo Horo stood there, staring at his mother through the pouring rain.

"Oh, Horo Horo…" she said, dropping the umbrella in her hands to the side and holding out her arms to him, hoping he would come to her.

"Mother." He said, nodding to her, as though she were a respected foe. Her arms fell to her sides and she pulled back her hood, allowing the pouring rain to hit her hair and face.

"Dragon." Kaede said, her voice turning spiteful.

"Horo…I know you can hear me. I know you're in there. Let this be over. End this insanity. Get Ren and go. Go and live your life the way you were meant to…in happiness. You can't be happy like this…killing everyone. Making Ren fear you." She said. Horo shook his head angrily, his face twisting into a scowl.

"What would YOU know? You're the one who made us like this! You're the one who made dad go away and HIM come!" he shouted at her, making her flinch. He made a small laugh.

"The only thing you ever said right…you said just now." He said. She looked up in surprise and hope. He looked her straight in the eyes, blue meeting blue.

"I'll end this insanity…this will be over…and so will your life." He growled out slowly, his eyes narrowing as he took a menacing step forward. Kaede closed her eyes in acceptance, smiling as the pain settled, as her own son killed her.

Ren breathed out loudly, listening to the faint sound of the rain pounding outside.

"A perfect night for blood to pour, Horokeu." He said, knowing Horo would most likely take advantage of the rain that swept away the crimson flow and the evidence of his guilt.

"Exactly, kitten." The insane voice came from the doorway, and there was Horo Horo, his hands stuffed into his pockets, wearing his usual heavy jacket and shorts with sneakers, completely drenched in rainwater.

"Horokeu." Ren whispered, a small smile gracing his face.

"Kitten…come." Horo pulled a hand out of his pocket, revealing the blood red color that dripped from it, holding his hand out to Ren. The Tao stood and walked slowly to Horo, reaching out and taking the offered hand. His hand was clenched tightly as the older boy dragged him out, allowing the Chinese to see the blood staining the walls, the disembodied human parts randomly thrown about. He gasped in horror, though it shouldn't have surprised him.

"Halt! Murderer!" it was then they both saw the policemen coming into the hallway, setting themselves up with their guns pointed at the two boys. Horo jerked Ren back into the cell and slammed the door shut, the automatic lock clicking.

"What do we do now?" Ren asked. Horo reached down between the padding of the wall and floor and found his prize, pulling out the chain and yanking open a secret compartment.

"We get the hell out of here." Horo answered, dragging Ren in with him and shutting the door behind them. They were in a long tunnel lit by the occasional florescent light.

"What is this?" Ren asked. Horo didn't answer but yanked his arm and pulled him along the tunnel, seemingly knowing where he was going despite the maze of turns and forks in the path. They went quickly for a few hours, until Ren could take it no more.

"Horo…I need to rest." He said, the exhaustion evident in his voice and showing all over his face. Horo took one look at him and hauled him over onto his back, carrying him as he continued. Soon the Ainu could tell the younger boy had fallen asleep, his breathing slow and even and his body slumped. Horo smiled slightly.

"Sweet dreams, kitten." He muttered and continued on his way.

When Ren awoke, he found they were no longer in the long corridors of the tunnel, but instead in a room within the underground maze. He was laying in a huge bed with satin sheets and a cotton bedspread, designed crudely with Ainu markings. A chest of drawers was set up in the corner with a chest beside it. A bookshelf was set up in another corner, it's shelves filled to the brim.

Beside the bed was a small table, holding a tray with warm soup and a glass of milk upon it, waiting for him. A small note was to the side of the bowl. Ren picked it up and read the scrawling Japanese.

_Out taking care of business, kitten. Will be home soon. Eat soup and drink milk. –Dragon_ the note read.

Ren looked it over again. 'Taking care of business' was the part that scared him. What kind of business? He shook his head and began to eat the soup, sighing in content at the delicious taste on his tongue. It seemed to flow down his throat easily and into his stomach, warming him from the inside out. A small sound of a door closing was heard and Ren looked up to see Horo taking off his jacket and hanging it on a hook. Horo shoved his hands into his pockets, looking tired and worn out…even slightly depressed.

"I'm home." He muttered in a drab, monotone voice as he kicked off his shoes and went over, flinging himself backwards onto the bed and closing his eyes in exhaustion.

"You seem tired." Ren said softly, wondering what he was supposed to do with the murderer. Horo nodded slowly. Ren shrugged it off and decided he should simply follow his heart, which was saying it was time to take care of his koi.

"Here." Ren pulled Horo up slightly, propping him up against some fluffy pillows, and moved behind him, beginning to massage his shoulders. Horo sighed softly, a small smile gracing his face as he leaned into the massage. Ren continued his work, but he couldn't help but feel…tempted.

He decided to give in to the temptation and tilted his head slightly, nibbling on Horo's ear. Horo Horo fidgeted a little, but made no protest, so Ren took it a little further, beginning to kiss his love's neck, nipping gently at the sensitive skin. Horo's eyes shot open and he jerked away, turning around to face the Chinese, his eyes narrowed.

"Trying to trick me again, kitten?" he asked in a dangerously light tone. Ren looked up at him innocently.

"No. Horo, I didn't do that back there. The police were after me, not you. They think I'm the one who killed everyone. That's why I was in the mental institute. When I first came to your school, I was just playing around with you…but I'm done with that. I've seen what stupid things like that can do. From now on I'm only following my heart. I love you." He said gravely.

"I…If you're lying, I swear to god, I will kill you with my own hands." Horo said angrily. Ren nodded carefully, closing the space between their lips.


	11. The Truth About the Dragon Part Two

CHAPTER ELEVEN – The Truth About The Dragon Part Two

Horo leaned an arm against one of the shelves full of books, glancing back at the bed, where Ren lay, peacefully dreaming. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a cigarette, clenching it between his teeth as he lit up. His eyes closed as he breathed in the toxin, sighing out a small cloud of smoke.

"Horo…stop being such an idiot…kill him." He said softly, eyes narrowing at the figure in his bed.

"Shut up, Dragon. I don't need you telling me what to do all the time. It's my life, so fuck off." He muttered.

"You didn't say that when I took over before…when I saved you. You wouldn't have survived that pain if it hadn't been for me. When dear old daddy left, I had to pick up the pieces." he growled.

"You aren't real! You're just some stupid imaginary friend! I was little then! I was weak. I couldn't take it. I don't need you anymore. I haven't needed you for years." Horo snapped.

"Then why were you so happy to see me again when Kitten left you? He's a liar and a brat and you know it, Horo." Cerulean eyes gleamed angrily.

"I thought he was your 'possession'?" Azure eyes glittered spitefully.

"He was…but you know me. I'm only in it for the chase. He gave up. It's no fun anymore. I don't need or want him alive, and he's getting much too close to you. Do you want to lose yourself again? Do you want me to take over again? You can't have both, Horokeu. If you stay with him, you welcome my presence into your life forever. I won't leave again."

"So be it. Ren will never hurt me anymore."

"You believe that bullshit? You're more of a fool than I thought."

"What do YOU care what happens to me?"

"This is MY body, too! What happens to you affects me, whether you like it or not. I'm not going to allow you to kill us just for him!"

"What are you going to do about it, huh?"

"I'm going to look out for us if you won't. If I decide he's going to harm you again, I'm stepping in…and you won't be able to stop me."

"We'll see about that."

"Don't tempt me, Horo Horo. I've been generous recently, allowing you so much control when YOU were the one who woke me up again. If you want to be like that, I'll just cut you off from him entirely."

"Whatever. We're keeping him alive." Horo jerked his head as an indicator towards the sleeping Ren.

"Fine. Be a fool. Stupid bastard."

"Get lost, already, Dragon! I'm sick of your constant drabble."

"FINE!" Horo glanced around, smiling when he was sure that his other half had gone back to the back of his mind. He noticed Ren stirring slightly and went over. Golden tiger eyes blinked open, the first sight being the bluenette. He smiled sleepily.

"Hey." He murmured. Horo blinked at him and blew out another cloud of thick, heavy smoke. Ren was suddenly wide awake, snatching away the cigarette and throwing it onto the ground, stomping on it until it was a pile of ash.

"Hey! Why'd you do that! I went to a lot of trouble to get that!" the Ainu protested. Ren glared up at him.

"Do you realize how bad smoking is for your body? You're killing yourself! That stuff is like legal poison!" he ranted. Horo rolled his azure eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He muttered and fished another from his pocket, lighting it up and blowing out the smoke right in Ren's face.

"What can you do about it…" he paused and grinned before adding, "Shorty." That did it. Ren huffed and sat down, arms crossed and lips pursed. Horo blinked at him.

"Are you…pouting?" he asked in wonder, tilting his head curiously. Ren made a little huffing noise and turned his head to face another direction. Horo grinned playfully.

"You ARE." He said. Ren turned again.

"Fine, babe. I'll douse it for you." The killer threw his own cig down and crunched it under foot. Ren turned towards him.

"Thank you." He said in victorious satisfaction. Horo turned and headed out the door, revealing what lay behind it…a kitchen. Surprisingly, there was a gas stove, refrigerator and everything. Ren gawked in surprise and amazement. Horo smiled at him.

"This entire city used to be a battlefield long ago." Horo explained. "This network of tunnels was used as a refuge for civilians and wounded soldiers. Later, after the war, it became a crypt, housing the dead soldiers and completely burying the bloody battles of ancient times. Nowadays it's been completely forgotten, except by my people. The Ainu didn't want it to become some stupid landmark or museum, so they kept it well hidden, also giving it updates as times changed. We used it as a safe haven when we were in trouble. When times of danger came, we would find our way to the nearest entrance.

Finally, due to the dwindling of pure Ainu blood, the Ainu voted my family to be the sole keepers of the tunnels. For five generations we've guarded this place. It's a sanctuary for the dead…" Ren stared at him as he stared into space, caught up in his memories. Just as the Chinese was about to say something, Horo continued.

"I remember when I was little; my dad and I would explore the tunnels together. He always thought I'd be scared of the corpses of the crypts, but I never was, because he was there. We mapped out the place, finding every secret to it, all the ancient traps that kept intruders at bay…then one day, he left. I didn't go back into the tunnels anymore. I sealed the entrance we used, and covered it. I was afraid of them. The countless bodies entombed within.

Until one day…I felt compelled to go back. Just once to go back, and maybe find a fraction of my father. I wandered around in the darkness of the tunnels. I explored through the catacombs and crypts…and then I found it…" he trailed off, looking distant.

FLASHBACK (Horo's POV)

I hate this. I'm sick of this. I'm just plain tired of all the pain I'm going through. I went further in the dark, becoming angrier and more afraid than I was before. Then I came upon something I'd never seen before.

In the dark emptiness, there was a statue, with a holy light coming from above to shine on it. It was a woman with the kindest face I'd ever seen. She wore white robes and looked down at me. Her arms were reaching out to me, and she looked so loving. From her eyes, tears came, and I saw that it was blood. Tears of blood streamed down her face and dripped off her chin, falling onto the body of a child at her feet.

As I came closer, I saw that the stone child was me. But then his eyes opened. He looked at me, my own eyes staring at me. Like looking into a stone mirror. Then he stood and faced me, and spoke.

"I can take away your pain. I can show you the way to heaven." His voice was soft and gentle, like a loving touch to my ears, so angelic, so heavenly.

"How?" I asked, my own voice croaky.

"Find a new child to lie at the feet of the goddess. The child must be loved for the goddess's emotion for it. The child must be drained of his blood for the goddess's tears. You must find the child…and you must kill him with this." He held out a knife with angels carved onto the handle and a light blue-ish silver blade, and I took it.

"Bring him back as soon as you can. When you do, I will save you." He said. I couldn't take it anymore. I needed that security. I needed that protection. I ran out of that sacred place, left the caves, and went to the house next door. The rain was pounding down on me, but I didn't care anymore. I needed that angel to save me. I knocked loudly on the door, and it opened to reveal my best friend, Yuki.

"What are you doing, Horo Horo? It's freezing out here…and it's pouring!" he said in annoyance. I ignored him and grabbed his wrist, pulling him along with me.

"Hurry!" I growled, and he nodded, sensing the desperation in my voice. He followed me blindly, unknowingly going to his own death. It was ironic. I led him to the small opening in the forest where he and I would play, and shoved him up against the huge oak we used as a meeting place. His eyes suddenly grew wary.

"Horo…what's going on?" he asked suspiciously.

"I…I…I need the protection. I need the safety." I felt trapped between my heart and my head. He trusted me so much…he trusted me. Was I going to let him down just to ease the pain I'd felt so long? I nodded to myself. I was going to do it… I looked up from the ground, my eyes hard and determined, fully prepared to do it.

"Protection? Safety? Are you in trouble?" he asked, eyes full of concern. Concern for ME…when HE was the one who was about to die.

"I have to kill you, Yuki." I muttered. His eyes widened.

"W-What?" he asked.

"I have to kill you. You understand, don't you? I need to have this! I need to have the angel's protection! You understand… You want to help me, don't you? Let me do this! I have to kill you, Yuki, or I'll never be free. You always wanted the ultimate adventure, now's your chance! Let me kill you!" I grew angry. My own friend didn't want to help me? His chocolate brown eyes were full of terror.

"Horo, stop it, you're scaring me!" he said. I grinned spitefully.

"You don't fear me, do you? You fear yourself. You fear your life. I can help." I said.

"Horo, stop talking crazy…" he murmured.

"Crazy? You think I'm crazy!" I shoved him against the tree again, holding him still with one arm against his throat.

"Horo Horo, this isn't funny, anymore! Stop it!" he said, so scared he was shaking. I pulled out the knife from my pocket, inspecting the blade in full view, so he could see it as well. His eyes shot further open.

"H-Horo…" he whispered. I brought the cold metal up to his cheek, his eyes following every movement. Slowly, I lowered it to his neck, and in one swift motion, the blade had ripped through his throat, killing him. I gently lowered him to the ground. He was limp, motionless, just staring at me.

His soft brown eyes were haunting. I couldn't bear them looking at me. They seemed to follow me wherever I went. I took the knife and twisted it through one eye, feeling better instantly. Then I repeated the act to the other eye, relief flooding me. A few hours later, his skin was a dull purple-gray color, the blood having flowed out of him.

I picked him up and took him through the tunnels, finding my way back through the caves to the statue. The stone boy was gone, so I placed the lifeless body of my best friend at the goddess's feet.

"Very good, Horo." The boy stepped out from behind the goddess statue, fully life-like and no longer stone, but now he had two big, black, reptilian wings. I took a step back, gaping at him. Along with his new-found wings, his ears were pointy and everything about him seemed sharper, right down to his clawed hands and feet and his blood-crimson eyes.

"W-Who are you?" I stuttered, suddenly almost fearful.

"I have no name. I am your savior. I am your life-line. I am…you." He said, a sly smirk on his face.

"I…I'm not so sure I want you to save me anymore." I said, scared. He grinned, showing off a pair of sharp fangs and a forked tongue.

"You have no choice anymore. You killed him. His death is on your hands. The only way you can save yourself is to let me in. The goddess is the guardian of the dead. Your friend is safe in her hands. Now save yourself and surrender to me!" he snapped, no longer seeming angelic at all. I nodded slowly and watched as he came to me and surrounded us both in his wings…

END FLASHBACK

Horo shook his head, freeing himself from the memories. Ren was staring at him curiously from the end of the bed.

"I'm going to take care of some business, Kitten. I'll be back late, so don't wait up. Make yourself some breakfast and do whatever. Go ahead and read some of the books and explore the house if you like. Whatever you do, don't open the chest and don't go through the big door with dragons carved along the edges." Horo instructed, turning sharply and leaving. Ren blinked. Horo was acting stranger than usual. Shrugging it off, he turned his attention to the bookshelf, reading some of the titles aloud.

"The Silence of the Lambs… The Vampire Lestat… The Dark is Rising… The Secret Life of Lazlo, Count Dracula… Hellsing manga… What's with him and the horror genre? Does he have no taste at all for actual literature?" Ren snorted but gave up, pulling out The Secret Life of Lazlo, Count Dracula and threw it on the bed. Looking around in the cabinets, he found some pocky and brought it with him, settling himself on the bed, leisurely eating the pocky as he read the book.


	12. Escaping the Dragon's Lair

CHAPTER TWELVE – Escaping the Dragon's Lair

Horo yawned and stretched as he entered his room, hanging up his coat quietly so as not to wake his sleeping lover. He slunk over to the bed and climbed into it, slipping under the covers only to shoot up when a pair of arms clutched him tightly.

"Ren!" he choked in surprise. Ren pulled him close, burying his face in Horo's chest. Horo slowly lowered his arms around Ren, hugging him back. He could feel the younger boy's heart beating wildly through his chest, and when he pulled Ren back to look into his eyes, he saw the panic and fear. Ren's eyes filled with fresh tears, it being obvious he'd been crying before.

"What happened?" Horo asked, tensing up, ready to attack the one who'd scared Ren so badly.

"N-Nothing." Ren whispered. Horo frowned.

"Did you go through the door?" he asked. Ren shook his head.

"What did you do?" the Ainu demanded.

"I read some of the books!" Ren cried, pulling the older boy close again. Blue eyes filled with understanding as he realized why the Chinese was so freaked.

"Come, now, they're only books…None of it is real. Besides, you've seen much worse in real life." He shushed Ren, but Ren stayed cuddled up to him, his body quivering.

"Ren…Ren, look into my eyes." He commanded, and gold eyes met blue.

"I won't let anything harm you. Now go to sleep." He said firmly, kissing away the salty tears. Ren nodded, but still snuggled close as they settled down to rest.

The next thing Ren knew, he was waking up to an empty bed. He got up and cooked himself a simple breakfast with what he found, then looked about the house some more. There appeared to be four rooms to the house: the bedroom, the kitchen, a bathroom, and a common room.

The bathroom was fairly nice, housing a toilet, sink, mirror, shower, and medicine cabinet. Ren curiously looked into the medicine cabinet, finding some aspirin, Tylenol, sleeping pills, and four prescriptions. He took those out, reading the labels.

One was an anti-depressant, which the Chinese found understandable. Another was treatment for paranoia, and another was treatment for hallucinations. The last one was supposed to slow down brain activity, which Ren remembered was a way of fending off multiple personality syndrome. Considering the amount of tablets in each bottle, Horo either wasn't taking them or had just filled his prescription.

He frowned at the medications and closed the cabinet. The common room was pretty plain, with just a few sofas and a small table. After a while longer exploring the house, he couldn't help but feel…tempted… He went to the chest in the bedroom, looking all around it. It was a normal-enough chest, with a pattern design all over it. He opened it gently. After all, what Horo didn't know couldn't hurt him.

Ren rummaged through the papers and other odds and ends, finding a planner that appeared to be new. He flipped it open and glanced over it. When he came to an area labeled Current Projects, however, his blood ran cold. Under the heading, in Horo's scrawling handwriting, was a note: _Kitten must be eliminated_. Ren dropped it back into the chest and closed it quickly, his mind rushing.

"I've got to get out of here." He whispered, and hurriedly grabbed a bag from the corner, filling it with some money that he found in a drawer and some food. He then walked over to the only door he hadn't been through…the one with the dragons carved all around its frame.

He hesitantly put his hand on the cold metal handle, and turned it. The door slid open easily, and he peered out. The hall was dark, with no lights at all, until you came to a fork in the path only a few yards away. Ren shut the door behind him and went to the fork, looking at his options. He chose the left path and followed it, finding that it was much harder to breath in the tunnels than in the house.

It was getting hot, sweat trickled down Ren's face and chest, but he continued, knowing he couldn't return to that murderer. The stench of death, disease, rot and decay was all around him, but he ignored and pressed onward. Suddenly, he found himself at a short ladder. Thanking his good fortune, he climbed upwards and opened the hatch at the top, having to shove a good few times before he managed to get it to open for him.

He took a huge breath as the air was suddenly fresh and gulped in the oxygen, pulling himself up and out of the caves, shutting his exit behind him. He sank to his knees in the thick grass, breathing heavily and sweating. When he had caught his breath, he snatched up his pack again and ran through the forest he had found himself, determined to get out of there as quickly as possible. He didn't care if he got arrested and sent to prison forever, he was going to end this before it got any further out of control.

Soon he was in front of a familiar building. Ren ran into the asylum, slipping behind the front desk and finding a map of the rooms. He went to the file room, flipping through the tapes until he found the one he was looking for. He put it into the VCR and turned on the TV, watching the following movie.

Horo Horo came on the screen, obviously not more than nine years old, but looking very much like an adult in facial expressions and body language. Ren recognized it instantly…it was Dragon.

"Now, Horokeu…tell me again what happened." A doctor's voice was heard. Horo glared at the screen.

"No. I don't like you." He huffed, crossing his arms.

"You liked me a moment ago."

"No. I didn't. I just thought you were so annoying I'd not bother because you'd just talk more."

"Maybe we'll start with something a little more simple. What's your name?"

"Horokeu Drakonis Meutrier Usui."

"Your name is not Horokeu Dragon Slayer Usui."

"Oh, so you AREN'T limited to your own sad, pathetic language. I just lost a bet with myself."

"Horokeu…"

"Yes, Master Baka?"

"Stop being a smart mouth and just cooperate. What is your name?"

"Horokeu Usui."

"How old are you?"

"That's a hard question! No fair!"

"You find it hard to tell me your age?"

"Yes. I have to do mental math to figure that one out. One hundred times mental age divided by chronological age."

"…"

"Don't tell me you haven't heard of it? One's true age is figured out by an uncomplicated mathematical solution which integrates mental and chronological age. Mental age being determined by your test scores compared to average children of that chronological age group and chronological age being determined by the amount of time since you were born. I don't expect YOU to be growing much in that respect, though. There are plenty of middle-age men still mentally stuck in their teens. Well, if you're going to be close-minded about my age, then I suppose I'm nine years old." Horo smirked all-knowingly. Ren could practically hear the doctor gaping.

"Alright then, Horokeu…I think it's becoming obvious you think you're smarter than I am."

"Correction. I KNOW I'm smarter than you."

"It may be a fact that your intellectual machinery is better than mine, but this does not get you out of here. You may embrace your lack of normality, but it's going to take a heavy dose of it to get you out of here. I'm not against using other ways to get you there either. I'm sure your brilliant mind can understand that." Horo got quiet, and Ren understood the doctor was threatening him with drugs. Then the Ainu child got sad-looking, almost hurt-looking.

"Y-You mean…I'm not…normal?" he squeaked out the last word, tears filling in his eyes. Ren laughed a little. Horo always did know how to turn on the water works. It appeared it worked, though, because soon he was being hushed and assured he was quite normal.

The screen blanked out but quickly came on again with a different date at the bottom. This time, Horo was sat in a chair, facing away from the screen.

"How was your breakfast, Horokeu? I trust you found it edible?" The doctor's exasperated voice was heard.

"Give my compliments to the chef. Exquisite cheerios. Positively exquisite." Horo said sarcastically.

"Please turn around, Horokeu."

"Why? Don't you like my hair? It's very unique, isn't it? I doubt you've seen any other families with natural blue hair. You see more of it this way."

"Turn around NOW." Horo shrugged and turned the chair completely around until he was facing away again.

"You misinterpret, Horokeu. I meant 180 degrees, not 360." Horo sighed and turned to face the camera.

"Thank you, Horokeu. I hope you'll be more cooperative from now on." Horo rolled his eyes.

"Let's begin with when you went to these 'caves.'" The doctor obviously didn't believe the tunnels existed.

"Yes." Horo said, smiling a fake sweet and innocent smile.

"Good. So your mother says you went out to have some time alone that day, correct?"

"Yes."

"And then you decided to visit the caves?"

"Yes."

"Do you know why you did that?"

"Yes."

"Please tell us, then."

"Yes." A long silence began.

"You remember that day, Horokeu?"

"Yes."

"Then tell us."

"Yes." Another silence.

"Maybe just tell us what you were feeling at the time."

"Yes."

"What were you feeling, Horokeu?"

"Yes." Another silence, this one longer than the others.

"…Oh. Oh, I see. You're only answering 'yes', am I right?"

"Yes, it took you long enough to figure that out."

"Horokeu." The warning tone just screamed that the doctor was about ready to drug him.

"I was just trying to be more cooperative from now on." Horo Horo grinned innocently. Ren laughed a little.

The screen blanked out again, but this time, it came on in a child's room at the mental institute. Horo was sat on the bed cross-legged, looking angry.

"This is all your fault, Dragon!" he muttered to seemingly himself.

"MY fault! You wanted out of this heap, now you'll get out. Do you really think some stupid drugs are going to keep me?" his voice grew more aggressive.

"Dragon…maybe you should just leave. You heard them talking. I'm not supposed to be smart or violent or emotionless like you. I'm supposed to be normal. I want to be normal, Dragon." Horo pleaded. Silence lasted a while. Horo sighed.

"Fine. I'll go to sleep. I'll give you yourself for as long as you need to grow up. Once you're old enough for me to be normal, I'll come back. I'll be watching you grow up, kid." He smiled wryly.

"Thanks, Dragon." His smile turned more childish.

"No problem, kid…just…remember. I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere. As long as I'm here, we're part of each other. If anything happens…if you get over your head…you can call me back. I'm only a thought away." Horo's eyes slipped shut and he hugged himself.

Ren cocked his head to the side. Dragon and Horo seemed to have a strange love-hate relationship. Sometimes they were the best of friends, other times they were the worst of enemies. Ren grabbed the tape and shoved it into his pack along with the one they had of his short time there before turning and running out to his next destination.


	13. Ready or Not

CHAPTER THIRTEEN – Ready or Not

"Kitten! I'm home!" Horo called as he hung up his coat. Silence drifted eerily around.

"Kitten?" More silence answered. Horo stalked into the bedroom, immediately noticing the chest had been messed with.

"Dammit!" Horo kicked the bed angrily.

"I won't say I told you so." He snickered.

"Shut up, Dragon, I'm in no mood!"

"I only spoke up to give you some insight." Horo looked thoughtful, mulling this over.

"Alright then, what's your brilliant advice?"

"Simple. He can't have got out of the city, yet, even if he chose the right path in the caves. Our best bet is to tail the cops. Kitten is a wanted man, and that's sure to attract attention. Someone is bound to call it in. Then we phone in and send them on a wild goose chase to delay them while we swoop in and get to him first." Horo smirked.

"Alright then, you can take over from here, but let me handle things when we get there."

"Fine." An evil smile adorned his face.

"Playing games of hide and seek, Kitten so scared, so very weak. I'll play along with your foolish game. Your stupid plans be put to shame. Countdown's over, you better run. Ready or not, Kitten, here I come!" he cackled and left, snatching his coat on the way.

Ren sighed and walked past a fountain in a park. He'd been all over, slowly but surely erasing all records of his and Horo's existence in Funbari. All that remained was the school and the police. He was going to hit the school first, as it would be easier. He had it all planned out. It would be as if they'd never been here. The two of them would move to his mountain vacation house, where they could live out their lives and forget all about this whole nightmare.

Ren walked up to the huge doors and pushed them open, stepping back in shock. He had almost completely forgotten what Horo had done here while he was in the mental institute. Blood was dried on the walls, obviously Dragon's work. Words were traced about in the crimson stain, hateful words of Horo's pain and Dragon's anger. He gulped back the lump in his throat and entered, stepping through lightly. He walked quickly, recognizing every step he took from his school days here that seemed so long ago.

He paused before going a different direction, going into Silva's class…the detention room. Ren sighed at all the memories rushing at him. This was where it all began. The start of all this mess with Horo. He walked in and ran his hand over a few desks as he passed by, staring out the huge windows into the schoolyard.

"Kitten ran and Kitten hid, but Dragon knows what Kitten did. Horo's in so deep he's blind, but I know what you had in mind. Thought you could just run away. Clever, Kitten, but here you'll stay. He really believed you, he's a fool. Now, my dear Kitten, let's us two minds duel. You've been playing my game and you've gotten quite good, but you forgot something that you never should. I invented this game, Kitten, and I made the rules. I have all the advantages, powers, and tools. You've been cheating, you naughty boy. I'll humble you back into Horo's sex toy. You've tricks up your sleeve but I have more. Just wait til you see what I have in store. The cops are coming, we need to go soon. We'll escape by the light of the rising moon. Hurry up, Kitten, we've no time to wait. Run now and talk later, it sounds like a date." Ren swung around to see Horo stood directly behind him, a twisted grin on his sadistic-looking face.

"Horo…I want us to run away together. To be free from this foolishness." He said softly.

"You said all you wanted was him for one night. One night! You ungrateful, spoilt brat! All you think about is yourself, and what YOU want! What about what Horo wants, huh? Did you think about that? He hates you just as much as I do, you bitch!" the Ainu shouted.

"I'm thinking of both of us! He needs to be away from this city! YOU never think about him! All you care about is killing and you're just hurting Horo because he knows that deep down, their blood is on HIS hands! He needs to be away from the death that surrounds him. In this city, in himself, in his HOME! Horo loves me and he knows I'm doing this for his sake!" Ren yelled back. Footsteps interrupted them both and they turned to the door, finding about a dozen guns trained on them.

"Freeze! Get down on the ground, NOW!" the head officer ordered. Ren was about to follow his demand, but Horo grabbed his wrist.

"I said, GET DOWN!" the man repeated. Blue and gold eyes met in silent understanding: Dragon had a plan.

"GET DOWN, DAMMIT! I don't want to have to hurt anybody, but we WILL shoot if you don't get down!" the officer barked. Horo made a few gestures with his eyes towards the window behind them, and Ren nodded, glancing back one last time to see what the police were doing now.

Suddenly, Ren jerked himself in front of Horo as a shot rang out in the dead silence. Horo's blood ran cold as Ren slumped in his arms, and he sank to the floor.

"Ren!" he called at him. Ren's golden eyes were wide in pain.

"Horo…" he made a painful face and gasped a little.

"Ren, you baka, why did you do that?" the Ainu asked, tears forming in his eyes. Ren ignored the question, cupping Horo's cheek in a hand.

"I love you, Horo." He said softly. Horo hugged him close as the cops looked on. Horo lifted up the Chinese's shirt, pulling it off of him and inspecting the wound, which was bleeding steadily. The bullet had gone straight through the other side, lodging itself eventually in a wall.

"Horo, I don't think any vital organs got hit, but we need to stop the blood flow." Dragon said. Horo nodded solemnly and ripped off strips of his own t-shirt, using it as make-shift bandages, trying to stop the bleeding.

"I'm a doctor, let me help." A kind-looking woman said from the door, but Horo pulled Ren protectively into his arms.

"You will not touch him." He hissed with a glare, and she stopped.

"Sir, if he doesn't receive professional medical assistance, he will bleed to death." She insisted from her place. Horo just kept glaring.

"I know you doctors. You act like you're all kind and loving and out to save people, but you're really just fakes. You act sweet and innocent to the public, a real life saver, but your patients are treated without dignity and threatened with drugs that will destroy them. You choose that job to control or gain respect from common persons. It makes you feel big that you are the deciding factor as to whether someone lives or dies, and you abuse that power for your own personal amusement. Don't preach at me about doctors. No one is getting near my Kitten." He said spitefully. Ren clutched at Horo's arm, interrupting him, his breathing heavy. Horo's attention immediately fell downwards. Ren swallowed a few times, struggling to find breath to speak.

"H-Horo…I'm d-dying, aren't I?" he choked out.

"No, Ren! No, you're not going to die. I won't let you!" he said, tears forming a second time as he held his lover closer in his lap, applying more pressure in attempt to stop the precious life-blood. Ren smiled with a far-off look.

"This is where we first met, remember?" he said in a whimsical tone.

"Ah. I remember." The Ainu replied, flashes of the scenes passing before his eyes. Ren was having obvious difficulty breathing and swallowing, his grip on Horo's arm weakening steadily.

"I-I just want you to know how much I l-love you, Horo-koi." He sputtered as some blood began to foam around the edges of his mouth.

"No, Ren, no. Don't talk like that. You can't leave me alone with him." Horo said quietly, the tears trailing down his cheeks. Ren's eyes followed their path and his hand moved up with effort to wipe the tears away, even though fresh ones soon replaced them.

"Ho…ro…k-k-kiss me one last t-time." He coughed up some blood onto the floor.

"No, Ren. If I kiss you, you won't be able to breath." The killer protested.

"O-Onegai, koi. I-I'm dying. Give me…one last…kiss." Ren pleaded. Horo swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, leaning down and kissing the younger softly, lovingly. Ren sighed into the kiss and Horo felt him smile as he watched the golden eyes close in content for the last time. He pulled away and hugged his lover to his chest, sobbing as his heart was shattered.

"I'm so sorry, sir…I suppose it's best to get him to the morgue…" the doctor spoke up calmly. Horo suddenly glared up at them all.

"You will not touch him." He repeated what he had said earlier.

"Sir, he's dead." An officer pointed out.

"NO! He's NOT dead! He's sleeping. He's sick. He needs me to look after him. He's going to get better. Sleep is good for him. He'll be well soon. See how he sleeps like an angel? He's going to be better in no time." He said, looking lovingly at Ren's face and brushing away the bangs in his face.

"Sir." The doctor attempted once again, taking a step closer. Horo pulled away, backing into the wall behind him, cradling Ren protectively. "Stay away from him!" he hissed with rage. The woman ignored him and took another step. He hopped up quickly and kicked the window, breaking the glass, then jumped out, rushing behind some trees with Ren carried bridal style. He ducked down low as bullets rained down on the area, hitting trees and the ground around him. His hands fumbled around, but he found the hidden entrance to the caves and lowered the Chinese boy's body in first before getting in himself and closing it up again. Horo snatched Ren up and slunk through the caves and back to the house, setting Ren gently onto the bed and cleaning him up with a sponge and water. He dressed the bullet wound properly and stared at Ren from across the room.

"He's gone, Horo." The Ainu said in a humbled and regretful tone.

"No, he's not, Dragon. You've been against him all along, so I don't want to hear another word from you." The poor boy said bitterly.

"…I know what he meant to you. I…have trouble trusting people. I don't need other people. You know that. That's why you wanted me around to begin with. I didn't realize Kitten was telling the truth until now. He took a bullet for you. I should have been better to him. I know that now. The most I can do is this. Offer you my sympathy, regret his death and my own actions, and avenge him."

"He's not dead, dammit! God, fuck it all! Go to HELL, Dragon! I'm sick of you bullshitting me!" Horo yelled.

"You still want to get his revenge, don't you?"

"…yes."

"Then listen up. I have a plan…"


	14. Dragon's Plan, Horo's Revenge

CHAPTER FOURTEEN – Dragon's Plan, Horo's Revenge

Horo Horo slunk around at the walls of a building, bushes covering his whereabouts. He peeked over the window sill into the house, seeing his targets. He backed up slightly and jumped through, smashing the glass as screams rang out from the room's occupants.

"My, my…what a heartwarming scene." He smirked at the two kids staring at him in fear, the woman protectively hugging them close to her bosom, and the man moving in front of them.

"Get the hell out of my house." The man said. Horo frowned.

"So you don't enjoy having someone messing with your family? Neither do I. You picked the wrong family to mess with, Officer Sagara. You'll regret the day you ever took a shot at my Kitten." The officer's face suddenly shone with understanding and recognition.

"You remember now, don't you? The man you shot today. The truth is, you fucking police think you know everything, but you're clueless. I'm the one you were after when my Kitten was punished in that fucking asylum. If you had only stopped jumping to conclusions, the mental institute wouldn't have been massacred, and the school wouldn't have been massacred, and this wouldn't be happening. However, with your bullshitting brain, you decided to get yourself into MY business, and MY family. Kitten was my only family in the world, and you took him from me…now I'll take your family from you." He said with a grin. He jumped forward quickly, shoving the man against the stair railing and holding his wrists with one hand. He produced a length of rope in the other hand, and quickly had the man tied to the thick oak railing. Horo then turned his attention to the woman and children.

"Leave them alone!" Officer Sagara yelled in a panic.

"Quiet! I've no time to mess with you anymore. Your bitch looks lonely over there. I think she'd like some company. Besides, a guest should conform to accommodate his hosts, don't you agree?" He smiled sweetly and walked over to the woman, who stood in front of the children, defending them. He reached up and hand and grabbed her chin roughly, staring into her eyes.

"My, you are a pretty bitch, aren't you?" he whispered, turning to look at the man.

"You have good taste in women. However, she'd look so much better if she weren't a whore. There's no time for her to change that, now, so I suppose a slut must be treated as one, don't you think so?" he smiled evilly and brought the woman by her hair to the center of the room.

"Your husband might like to enjoy the show as well, huh? Well, let's not disappoint, shall we?" he shoved her onto the floor and leaned down, whispering loudly in her ear.

"You little fuck. I'm going to kill you, you fucking slut. You whore. You bitch." The woman was sobbing as he continued to degrade her whilst pulling her clothes off. He dug his nails into her back, scraping them down harshly.

He grabbed a bottle of wine from a nearby table and smashed it on her back, the glass sticking in her skin and the wine pouring around. He then took the neck of the bottle he held in his hand and shoved it into her, making her scream in pain. One hand kept busy moving the bottle around while the other took a knife from his pocket, carving into her back. Finally, he stopped, allowing the woman to collapse onto the floor with the bottle in her and her back bleeding profusely. The Ainu looked up at the broken man who was still tied to the railing.

"Now I've taken your wife, I'll leave you alone. Remember from now on…don't mess with others' families." He said, staring him square in the eye. Horo then stalked over to the two children who were crying in the corner, having witnessed that.

"Why are you doing this to us?" the older one cried, her big blue eyes staring up at him soulfully.

"Your father stole my Kitten from me, little girl. Until I get him back, he won't get you back. That is the punishment for such things." He said softly, holding out a hand.

"Now, come with me, and know that it was your father who sentenced your mother to death." He murmured, picking up the toddler boy and grabbing the wrist of the girl. Horo looked one last time at Officer Sagara.

"Don't feel alone. Every policeman who was in that room will cry tonight." He said, and left with the kids.

"Let us go, you monster!" a teenage boy shouted at Horo. The bluenette sighed and looked up from his book again. In his living room he had placed several cages which now housed the children of the policemen.

"Will you twats just shut the fuck up!" he yelled.

"Not until we're out of here." The boy replied. Horo smirked.

"That can be arranged." He said in a tone that meant they'd be going somewhere other than home. The Ainu gave them a moment to chew on his words before continuing.

"Now, you little heathens, be silent. I'm reading." He hissed.

"At least give us some food." A girl said. Horo looked up again and smiled.

"If you're hungry, there are plenty of people to eat. Go ahead." He said mockingly. She looked around at the other kids in her cage and shuddered at the thought. Horo returned to his book. When he had finished, he went to the kitchen, grabbing some food and taking it with him into the living room, where he proceeded to eat it in front of the starving kids, who groaned in hunger. He smiled at them and left the room again, going to his bedroom. On the bed, Ren lay, cold, white and motionless, just as he'd been left. Horo just smiled lovingly at him.

"You'll be okay, Ren. You'll get better." He whispered as he slipped under the covers with his dead lover and cuddled up.

"You're so cold. Oh, Renny, you're so very cold." He muttered and snuggled closer, hoping to warm him up.

Days passed and the police were searching to no avail. It seemed Horo and their children had just disappeared. The kids were weak and hungry, causing them to get into several fights while Horo simply continued to try and nurse Ren back to health, convinced he would be okay. Finally, with Dragon's constant nagging and Ren's cold, dead form, it dawned on him that he really had lost his love. He spent two days crying quietly, grieving and finding no comfort in Dragon's little attempts to cheer him up.

Horo sat silently on the bed, running a hand gently over Ren's cheek. He stood and lifted Ren with him, carrying him out of the room, passing through the kitchen, and feeling eyes on him as he drifted through the living room.

"Who is that?" one child asked.

"It's his lover, I'll bet. His precious 'Kitten'." Another replied. Horo ignored them and went through the door with carved dragons, closing it behind him. He took Ren through the caves and to a room filled with jars of preservatives and a table. He lay the younger on the table and rubbed some of the preserving oils into his skin. Then he lowered Ren into a big coffin-like structure.

He left and returned about half an hour later, rubbing the oils over himself and joining Ren in the coffin. He lay there, breathing quietly for a few minutes, looking at Ren.

"Well, Dragon, it's been fun, but there's nothing more to do." He said softly.

"I know. I guess I got to let go sometime. Let's join him, then." Dragon replied with acceptance.

"You're okay with this?" the Ainu asked.

"Ah. I'm doing this for you. Besides, there must be plenty of fun games in the afterlife." He snickered a little. Horo pulled out the knife he had used on Yuki. He hadn't used it since then. Now it would take his life. He laughed a little.

"You know, Ren said he'd died where it all began for him. Here I am dying where it all began for me." He whispered. Dragon stayed silent. Horo's hand trembled slightly.

"I can't do this, Dragon. I…Please help me." He whispered. Dragon nodded and took control of Horo's hand. Horo kissed Ren deeply as Dragon plunged the knife deep into his chest, piercing his heart.

"May the goddess guide and protect us." Dragon whispered.

"I love you, Ren. I'm coming." Horo said right after. And as his precious life flowed out, Horo smiled and closed his eyes, welcoming the deep darkness that embraced him.

_Ren and I could never have been while life ran through our veins. Too much had happened too fast and our relationship couldn't have gone the slow and loving way I wanted it to when I first went after him. Now he lies dead in the coffin, and Dragon and I will soon join him. The children will be left where they are, for the police to find if they're fast enough. Dragon and I will soon explore the afterlife and all the games it has in store. For now, that is enough. Dragon once told me that the goddess guards the dead. This book is full of it. I leave it in her hands to look after from now on. My story and Ren's ends now…or perhaps, it's only beginning._

The archeologist closed the book, replacing it to its spot in the hands of a goddess statue. Tears were in her eyes as she finally knew the truth about the huge killing spree only six years ago. Her sister beside her also had tears in their eyes.

"Sister, perhaps we should leave. This place is a sanctuary for the dead. Let's have it remain that way." She said to the first. The other nodded.

"We'll leave this story in peace. Another archeologist can take this one." She smiled through her tears and the two of them left, telling their colleagues that the cave was a mere natural cave with nothing in it. The two girls left with a sense that they had done the right thing and were going to their home where they would be safe from petty troubles over caves. However, had they read the last page of Horo's journal, they would have known better. The very last page read:

_Drakonis Meutrier, Drakonis Meutrier, Trepas a toute quelles derangent le pioncer de Drakonis Meutrier, Le deesse garde le sentier de le mort, lequel le loi de Drakonis Meutrier, Drakonis Meutrier_

Meaning: Dragon Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Death to all who disturb the sleep of Dragon Slayer, The goddess guards the path of the dead, this the law of Dragon Slayer, Dragon Slayer

THE END (yes, of the whole story! dances)

Don't cry, though, there may be a sequal!


End file.
